Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride
by tumblin' di
Summary: Bella is coerced into marrying a dying Edward Masen during the flu outbreak of 1918. The first time Edward sees Bella, he thinks she's an angel. The next time he sees her, he is sure she's the devil. Romance, humor, little bit of angst. Lemons later...
1. The Big City

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**It was meant to be a rough draft and well, it still is. I will edit and refine chapters as I can, but the story itself will remain the same. Thank you for bearing with me and my work-in progress.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 1: The Big City 1918

It was beyond good fortune—absolutely beyond my wildest imagination that I was walking the streets of the City of Chicago. As far as big cities go, I had only been to Seattle once in my life, and that was only because the Forks Medical Center was unable to treat one of my more serious maladies.

We had seen the Chicago Water Tower, walked through The Rookery, which was beautiful but reminded me entirely too much of Forks; it was too green. We had visited the Field Museum, which took my breath away. To actually see the historic items that I had only read about in history books was incredible. I was the kid in the candy store which was life and culture. This is where I wanted to be.

Tyler Crawley and I won the Washington state science fair. It was a big surprise after all the difficulty we had with our project. We recreated a telephone using parts of broken phones. We managed to piece together an almost working telephone, but a couple of parts would not stay put. We used some old copper wiring and glue, but we had trouble with the glue. Any glue we used prevented the sound from going through. After many failures, we finally created glue which held the pieces together and allowed the sound to pass. Actually, the connection was better than most. Not that I had much experience using the telephone, but the couple of calls I made had terrible connections.

The good people of Forks held bake sales and church socials to raise enough money to send us to the national competition in Chicago. No one from Forks has ever achieved anything quite so notable and people gave freely. Not only did we have enough money for our trip, but we also became recipients of tickets to museums, a cinema, and a symphony. My father even gave me twenty dollars! I simply refused it and put it back in his top dresser drawer. After we said our goodbyes, and I naturally cried on the train, I pulled my handkerchief from my purse and found the twenty dollar bill and a note in my handbag. He wrote:

_Bella, you take care of me every day, now I want to return the favor. _

It was simple, but that was my dad. I still plan on bringing at least ten dollars back home. Our meals were furnished but I simply had to taste everything that the street vendors were peddling. There were foods I had never heard of. My favorite was a nut (seed?) called pepitas. They were warm and delicious, and I knew I'd never have them again when I went home to Forks. Then there were the Chicago Red Hot dogs. Oh my goodness they are good. They consisted of a spicy wiener on a steamed poppy seed bun, mustard, relish, tomatoes, onions and a pickle. Sounds awful but mmmmmm good.

Some of the people in the city were so fashionable. I don't normally even notice fashion because, well in Forks there's really no such thing-everything we wear is functional and takes the weather (meaning rain) into account. Most women wore dresses just below their knees, but I admit I did see some knees. There were a lot of foreigners, or people from 'the old country' who still wore ankle length dresses. There were quite a few poor people I saw who wore clothes in tatters. My heart went out to them but there were so many that at least they didn't feel singled out like they would in a small town. Most of the men wore three piece suits with hats, but a lot of them wore uniforms while they were working.

Tyler was loaned a very nice suit which belonged to Mr. Banner's son who was serving in the Army and was in Europe. Mrs. Cope sewed a beautiful 'Sunday' dress for me to wear to the symphony, and Angela's mother made an 'everyday' dress, which was even nicer than my own 'Sunday' dress. I planned on giving it to Angela when I returned home. It would be the right thing to do.

Tyler and I were teamed up with some students from all over the country. I had been very nervous about meeting them and feeling like a backwoods type of person, but as I got to know them, I discovered none of them have ever been to a big city before either, so I think we were all relieved and got on quite well. One of my favorites of the group was a girl named Gwen who was from Montana. She was a bit feisty, but her thirst for learning endeared her to me. She would stop people on the street and ask questions I would never have the nerve to ask. Once, there was an organ grinder with his monkey at the beach and she bombarded him with questions. I don't think the man spoke a word of English, but he sure tried. It wasn't until the monkey ducked under Gwen's dress that she finally became quiet. I don't know what transpired under there, but the look on her face was hilarious. I put a penny in the monkey's cup.

I sat in the hotel room that Gwen and I shared, writing in my journal instead of getting ready for the symphony. The door to the hotel room clicked shut and I saw that Gwen had returned from the common bathroom. A couple of the girls complained about sharing the bathroom, but in Forks I still had to go outside to use the privy, not to mention that I still had to draw water from a hand pump. At least my father had installed a pump inside at the kitchen sink so we wouldn't have to go outside for that, too. I was grateful.

"It's your turn now. You better hurry because if Theresa gets in before you, you know you'll have to wait forever."

I jumped up and grabbed my toiletry bag and made a run for the bathroom. I really only needed a few minutes as there was a large mirror in our room and I could finish up there. When I returned, I quickly changed into my best dress and instead of pinning my long brown hair up in a bun, I simply brushed it down. Who would have guessed that without constant rain that my hair was capable of being smooth and shiny? I had only one pair of shoes, but they are rather new, and chosen to go with either of my dresses. When I was done getting ready, Gwen and I grabbed each other's hand and we met with the others in the lobby.

The symphony was bustling with people of all different backgrounds. Some people wore outfits that I would never be able to afford if I lived several lifetimes. A few people wore clothing with patches, albeit their clothes were clean. Half the people were speaking in foreign languages. I recognized most of the languages that were spoken, but a few threw me for a loop.

The symphony was better than I would have ever imagined. There was a special tribute to a Mr. Debussy who had passed away just month's earlier. While listening to his compositions, it made me sad to think that such genius would no longer be here and that future generations would never hear these beautiful songs. One score in particular was simply haunting me. It was like I knew exactly what note on the piano was coming next, when I obviously had never heard it before. It felt as though it was written for me and was telling me secrets. _Holy crow, what an imagination._

During the intermission, Gwen, Tyler and I decided to splurge and walked out in front of the theater to buy Italian lemonade from a vendor. I was admiring the beautiful automobiles lined up along the street. We didn't have cars like that in Forks. I noticed a woman wearing a beautiful gown being escorted from a shiny new auto. The boy escorting her appeared to be her son as their hair color was the matching shade of…what do you call that color? It was neither red nor brown but seemed as there were chunks of each color throughout. As they walked, I finally got a good look at the young man. He seemed upset about something. They drew nearer, and when they walked by us, I heard the woman say "We both know how much this means to you and your father insists that you attend and that's final…"

As he walked by he looked up at me and my obvious eavesdropping, to which I pointedly turned what I'm sure was an embarrassing shade of pink. His lips turned up into a shy, but crooked smile. A soft wind from the lake caused his hair to float about in disarray. The lights from the marquee danced over his hair and each strand was a distinct and different hue than the strand next to it. I was mesmerized. It was like time was standing still and I was frozen in place.

When he opened the theater door for his mother, he turned and looked at me again. His eyes slowly ran from my feet up to the top of my head. I have had a boy, or man, or two roam their eyes over my body before, but it was always uncomfortable and unwelcomed. This wasn't a boy leering at me or sizing me up. It was more like he was looking at me like I was one of the statues at the art museum. It was almost like the kind of look you give a painting you've read about but have never seen, or someone that you think you know, but can't remember where from. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, completely lost as to how to respond. His eyes returned to my face and he broke into a wide grin. He turned to walk in to the theater and just before he was out of sight, I saw him place his hand over his heart.

I was grateful that Tyler and Gwen were too busy gawking at the city lights to have noticed my bold behavior. We finished our Italian lemonade and returned to our seats. I found it difficult to pay attention to the symphony since I was discreetly scanning the auditorium searching for the reddish brown haired boy to no avail. While looking around, I couldn't help but notice that several people were getting up to leave. Then I realized that there were quite a few empty seats when at the beginning of the symphony only a few were vacant.

I was interrupted by Gwen, who began coughing-loudly. She was so embarrassed but she could not seem to stop. Taking a good look at her, I saw that she was sweating profusely. I put my hand to her forehead and she was burning up. She was fine an hour ago when we were outside. I looked around apologetically to our neighbors and saw that several others were coughing as well. It always seems like when one person coughs it causes a chain reaction. I put my hand at Gwen's elbow indicating that perhaps we should visit the powder room until her spell passed. Tyler followed along acting as our escort. Out of the confines of the auditorium, Gwen no longer held back her cough. Tyler and I eyed each other.

"Sounds like croup." He said, although it seemed more like a question.

"Perhaps. I'll bet some tea will fix it right up. Tyler, would you please let the others know that we will be going back to the hotel? We'll wait out front for you."

He simply nodded and walked back into the auditorium. Gwen shook her head, unable to vocalize that she didn't want for us to have to leave. I patted her hand and told her that it was almost over anyway and we would simply avoid the crowds leaving the theater. We walked out front to wait for Tyler. I was praying that the fresh air would help. It didn't.

The walk back to the hotel was only two blocks, but each step was more difficult for Gwen than the last one. Tyler and I each wrapped an arm around her waist to help her along. Tyler was a true gentleman for helping me carry Gwen to her bed. He rushed to the hallway as soon as we laid her down, in a hurry to remove himself from a room belonging to ladies.

"What do you think Bella?"

"I don't know. She looks awful. Would you mind too much waiting in the lobby for our chaperones? I think we need to have an adult check on her, don't you think that's wise?"

He nodded his agreement.

"Oh, and would you please ask the front desk to send up a nice pot of tea?"

"Yes, of course."

"Thanks, Tyler. You're so kind."

He gave me a small smile and walked toward the stairway. When I returned to the room, Gwen looked even worse than she did five minutes ago. I grabbed her bath linen and told her I'd be right back. I soaked the linen in cold water and returned to place it on her forehead which was unreasonably hot.

About forty five minutes later, our two female chaperones; Miss Carson and Miss Vitale came to our room. They stood several feet from Gwen's bed, which I thought was odd, and gave Gwen a once over. Miss Carson put her hand to her mouth and turned away quickly. Miss Vitale put her hand to her heart and closed her eyes and shook her head.

"She's burning up with fever. It hit her so quickly. I think she needs a doctor."


	2. Influenza

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 2: Influenza

I was stumbling for words. Never have I seen someone go downhill so quickly.

Mrs. Vitale responded to my request for a doctor. "Of course. You're right. I'll speak to the clerk and have a doctor sent immediately. Isabella, please stay put until the doctor comes." The two women walked towards the door and I noticed that Mrs. Carson was crying. Crying? I wondered what had happened to make her cry.

"Bella, I'm thirsty."

"I'm so sorry Gwen. Tyler ordered tea, but it hasn't come yet. I can get you a glass of water, ok?"

Gwen just nodded, too weak to speak. As I was getting up to get water there was a knock at our door. It was Tyler.

"Oh, thank goodness you brought the tea. Please come in."

I gestured with my hand for him to enter, but he just stood there at the threshold.

"Bella, I was told not to come in the room."

He was looking down at his shoes when he said this.

"When I told them how sick Gwen was, room service refused to bring the tea up. You should have seen them Bella. The folks at the front desk acted like I had the plague. They said there's a sickness going around and..." He whispered the last part. "…people are dying from it."

I stood there, immobile, stunned at what I'd just heard.

"What are you saying? What…what are you saying Tyler?"

"There were several people in the lobby talking…you know those pretty horse drawn carriages with all the flowers? Those were funeral processions, Bella."

We had noticed them. Some even had musicians walking behind them. We thought they were some sort of parades.

Tyler continued "Well, this sickness that's going around. It seems like a bad cold or the flu or something, but you don't get better."

I had the flu or a cold or something on the three day train ride down. It only lasted a couple days, but it hit me pretty hard. Nowhere near what Gwen was experiencing. Just then Gwen went into a violent coughing spasm. I went to take the tea from Tyler and his breath caught and he too began to cough. Taking the tea in one hand I put the other up to his forehead. It was hot.

"Tyler, get in here and lie down on my bed. Apparently this room is quarantined and we might as well be amongst friends."

His eyes popped opened at the impropriety of it all.

"Look Tyler, even our chaperones won't come into this room or let anyone out of it. Do you want to be sick and all alone in your room with no one to take care of you? Bed. Now. This is now officially Dr. Isabella Swan's Hospital. Come lie down and I'll fix you some tea, too."

And so it went until about 5 A.M. when the doctor finally arrived. Dr. Cullen looked exhausted but was still one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen. He was kind and gracious about coming to the hotel to check on my friends. Gwen was now looking as pale as a ghost and Tyler wasn't much better and I was so glad that a doctor had finally shown up.

"Isabella, isn't there an adult who is taking care of your friends?"

"I'm sorry, but no one else will come in here and I was told not to leave, so no, it's just me."

He shook his head and looked like he could spit nails. He motioned me to the hallway.

"I'm sorry that you've been put in this position. I'll be frank with you since it appears that you're the only one adult enough to manage the situation. There is a sickness going around and it appears to be a very strong strain of flu. From what I have seen, it is almost like pneumonia. Have you ever seen a pneumonia patient?"

I shook my head no.

"The lungs fill with fluid and the patient is no longer able to get enough air. If it's extreme, the lungs and heart may fail. That is the worst case scenario. The patient-your friends-will either recover on their own…or not."

He reached over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. Tears were brimming in my eyes. How can this be? We were having the time of our lives and in less than one day I'm being told that my friends might die.

"I'm going to have an ambulance sent over to take them to the hospital. You need to get some sleep young lady and let me take care of them now. But, before I go, I want to take a listen to your chest. Have you been having any symptoms?"

"Actually, I had the flu or a cold or something last week. I feel fine now."

"That's excellent. If you had the flu already, chances are that you will not get it again. However, that's not a guarantee. You need to keep your distance from this."

"I can't stay away from my friends when they're in need. I want to go with them."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Isabella. The hospital is bursting at the seams and we are not allowing visitors."

"No! I mean…but you could use help, right? I can volunteer to help out. I know I'm no nurse, but you can use some extra hands, couldn't you?"

"Yes, of course, but I can't run the risk of you getting sick, too. It's best that you stay put."

"Dr. Cullen, you've already said that I probably won't get sick again, and I feel fine. My chaperones already informed me that the rest of my visit will be spent in this room and I'll simply go mad staring at the walls worrying about my friends. At least allow me to be of some good use. Please?"

"I'll tell you what. If you promise to get some sleep, and if you're still feeling ok, then you can meet up with me when I start my next shift at 3 this afternoon. I'll leave you directions to the hospital and you must give me your word that you will get the permission of your chaperones."

"Deal. My chaperones would love nothing better than to have me as far away from them as possible."

It took about two hours for the ambulance to get Tyler and Gwen. By then I was completely exhausted. I had the front desk bring me some fresh bedding and I fell into a deep sleep. I dreamt I was in a mist or a cloud, and I was looking for someone. I kept saying 'come back to me'. When I awoke it seemed like the dream was real, but I had no idea who I had been looking for.

I still had a couple of hours before I would meet Dr. Cullen at the hospital. I bathed and dressed in my everyday dress, not knowing what kind of dirty job I would probably wind up doing. On my walk to the hospital I stopped at a deli and picked up some cheese and bread and nibbled on them while walking.

The sight of the hospital caused me to stop. I realized that I was in a big city, but there must have been close to fifty people standing about around the entrance. Some people looked like they had been there for hours. Some had empty, haunted looks in their eyes. Some women were crying, and some men were trying their best to stay strong.

I worked my way through the quiet crowd and told an elderly guard that I was there to meet Dr. Cullen. He hesitated, but then I told him I was volunteering to help. He looked like he was making up his mind so I said I had already had the flu, and that I was told I wouldn't get sick again. With that, he let me through.

I waited my turn in the admissions line and told the nurse that Dr. Cullen was expecting me. She nodded and said that he had told her that I was coming. She apologized for not having a volunteer uniform for me, but she at least had an apron which I gladly accepted. I found out that her name was Audrey and that I reminded her of her daughter. We took an instant liking to each other and because of this she put me on cafeteria duty instead of bedpans. _Thank heavens._

My day was spent going from the cafeteria to patient wards and private rooms. Most people were too weak to eat. Before I would return the trays, I'd try to assist and coax people into eating. It was not unusual to find trays that were completely untouched. I was hesitant to remove the first full tray I came upon. It belonged to Gwen. It's so important for a sick person to get their nutrition and she needed to eat. I reached for Gwen's hand to see if she would eat anything before I took the tray away. Her hand was hard and as cold as ice. My hand recoiled in horror.

I took a step back in panic and frantically looked around the room for help. Dr. Cullen was just walking into the ward and he saw me. He rushed to my side and looked at my stricken face. He took my hands in his.

"I'm sorry Bella. If you don't think you can handle this, I'll arrange to have someone take you back to the hotel."

"No. It's just…we became friends. We were having fun together just yesterday. "

Dr. Cullen nodded and gave my hands a squeeze. I steadied myself and tried to hold back my tears while Dr. Cullen verified what I already knew. Gwen was dead. I turned my head and wiped the tears away in an effort to look composed.

"Bella, truly, you don't have to do this."

"All the more reason to be here Dr. Cullen. It's more important than ever. I'm going to make an extra effort to be as caring as possible. If I'm the last person someone sees, I'll need to be as kind as I can be. Don't worry; I'll put on a brave and hopeful face." He acquiesced but made me promise to leave the minute that I felt that it was too much.

And so I finished out the evening. The only sounds heard were coughing and crying, which was particularly disturbing. I brought glasses of water and helped people sit up to drink. I got some towels from one of the nurses and helped cool some brows. Some people whispered what were probably their last words. I simply listened and held their hands.

On my way home I prayed that Tyler would make it through the day. I managed to spend some time with him during my shift, but he was in and out with fever. His parents would be beside themselves with grief if he didn't come home. That reminded me that I would have to reschedule our train trip home. I would need to talk to the chaperones-_if they would come near me_-and work that out.

I didn't run into anyone that I knew at the hotel when I returned, so I went straight to my room and fell asleep. The same dream replayed in my head. The mist surrounded me, but then it started to break away. In the distance, I could see a shadow of a face. I could barely make out the outline of the eyes. At first they were a sparking green, and then they faded to black.


	3. Fading To Black

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 3: Fading to Black

Before I went back to the hospital, I checked with our escorts and they assured me that Tyler's and my travel arrangements were taken care of. I secured Gwen's family's address and wrote a letter telling them that Gwen passed away peacefully. I told them how much I enjoyed her company, and that I was sorry for the loss of their daughter. I wished that there was more that I could do for them.

The dress that I washed in the bathroom sink and hung up in my room to dry was still slightly damp. Hopefully it would dry on my way to the hospital. I took extra time with my hair by pinning it up into a bun. I found that fussing with it at the hospital was nearly impossible when my hands were always full, not to mention some of the disgusting things that came into contact with them. I certainly didn't want that stuff in my hair.

I was taken by surprise when room service knocked at my door and they told me that Mrs. Vitale had the hotel chef make me a beautiful large breakfast. There were poached eggs, French toast and sausage. I never heard of having breakfast in the afternoon, but it was absolutely wonderful. I still had a bit of bread and cheese leftover from yesterday that I could nibble on for dinner while at the hospital.

When I arrived at three o'clock there were even more people outside of the hospital than the day before. Today there were sick people lying about the grass, and angry people at the door. The guard recognized me immediately and let me pass, saying he was grateful to see a pleasant face. Inside, the waiting room was jam packed. I didn't want to disturb the nurses, so I made my way downstairs to the cafeteria on my own. The worker's there could advise me of my duties.

"Dear, we're short-handed today so you'll have to deliver to the private rooms first" said a woman wearing a hair net. Each tray for the private rooms had a name card, so I dutifully put them onto a cart and made my way. As I passed the ward rooms, I saw that there were a few beds lined along the walls in the hallways. It had me worried.

'Please don't let them all be dead.' I whispered to myself.

Thank goodness they weren't. I peeked inside one of the wards and saw that there were almost double the number of beds and patients than yesterday. That explained why some of the patients were in the hall—there wasn't enough room in the wards. I saw that Tyler's bed was still occupied by him, which made me thankful. From a distance, he seemed to be looking better. I'd have to get a move on things if I wanted to be able to spend some time with him.

There were only 20 private rooms, and these patients were allowed to have family visits, so I was in and out of them quickly because the families were more than happy to assist them with their meals. I only had two more private rooms to go when I came to a one that was dimly lit and completely silent. There were two occupied beds in it.

In the first bed was a woman who looked strangely familiar. Her skin was dappled with sweat, and her hair was matted down on her head. Her brow was furrowed even in her sleep. I took a towel and carefully dabbed her face and then made sure her bedcover was secure. I patted her hand and told her that everything would be ok. She seemed to have heard me and her face took on a more relaxed look.

I went to the other bed next and froze in my tracks. It was _him_. The boy I saw at the symphony. That hair was unmistakable, even damp with sweat. I felt like the wind was taken right out of me. Slowly, I made it to his side.

"Don't be sick. Please, don't be sick."

I had seen hundreds of sick people over the course of the last few days, but no one had the effect on me that he did. Not even Gwen or Tyler, and I couldn't explain or understand it. I wanted to reach down and kiss his forehead and make it all better. Instead, I stood there frozen with silent tears streaming down my face.

I'd seen that skin color before. _Before the patient was taken down to the morgue_. He was so pale and his lips were tinged with blue. He was past the point of coughing, just simply gulping air every so often. An arm on my shoulder brought me back to awareness.

"Dr. Cullen, I…I…"

"Bella, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes…I just…"

I swiped the tears off my face and laid the tray on the stand.

"I know this boy. Well, I don't really know him but we just kind of…"

I was rambling.

"I actually know him, too. The Masen's have been patients of mine for years. Sadly, Mr. Masen passed away yesterday. Things aren't looking too well for Mrs. Masen or Edward either I'm afraid."

I didn't want to hear that at all, and Dr. Cullen must have saw how I felt.

"That's not to say that miracles can't happen though. I have seen some of the worst come through this Bella. I'm sure someone like you can get a prayer or two answered. Do you have one you can spare for them?"

I mutely nodded my head.

The food trays on the cart were getting cold, so I left the room and whispered good day to Dr. Cullen. I went about my duties and as I was headed back downstairs, I saw him again. I gestured to the Masen's room.

"How are they?"

"Like I said, it's in God's hands now Bella. It would be nice if you could take a moment and perhaps read to them. Edward brought a few books with him. I'm sure they'd like that."

"I will. Right after I take care of the wards. Thank you Dr. Cullen."

"Thank you Bella. Several patients in the wards have told me how kind you've been. They're not allowed to have visitors and really appreciate that you take the time to talk to them as well as help them eat. So many of our staff has been ill and we're so short handed. You don't know how much we appreciate your help."

"I couldn't just sit in my hotel room knowing that people need help when I'm able bodied, Dr. Cullen. Anyone would do this."

"That's where your wrong, Bella. The truth is, even some of the doctors and nurses are too frightened to come to work. You've seen the way your chaperones behaved. They aren't the only ones who hide away."

"I guess it makes sense to avoid coming in contact with this flu. It seems that my self-preservation instincts haven't kicked in yet."

He chuckled at that and then let out a sigh.

"I mean that Bella. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I know we both hope that this illness disappears soon. It's just horrible. If you don't mind my saying so, you look like you've been putting in more than your share of hours here."

"I'm doing alright, don't worry about me. Well young lady, you have a good evening and take care of yourself -doctor's orders."

When I was finished delivering and removing all of the trays I went to sit with Tyler for a bit. His color was coming back and he managed to drink a little broth. I reminded him how his parents probably can't wait to hear how well the science fair went. We won honorable mention, which was more than we expected. He didn't say much, but he did tell me how glad he was that I was there with him. He fell into a comfortable sleep in a matter of minutes, so I went to go check on the Masens. It was nice to put a name to the faces. _Edward Masen_. Such a nice name.

I knocked on the door, neither expecting an answer nor getting one, so I let myself in. Not much had changed from earlier in the day. With a damp rag I cooled their foreheads then I pulled up a chair from against the wall and sat down next to Edward. I picked up one of the books that belonged to him: _Grey's Anatomy_. Hm. Not exactly bedtime story material. The other two books were similar. I decided instead to tell them about my hometown.

I described how green and wet Forks is year round. I explained how that when the sun actually did come out it was a time to celebrate, and you would see your neighbors strolling about the two block downtown shopping area. I told them downtown was basically Newton's General Store and the county's one cell jail. I went on to describe the rest of the county. Without a doubt, the list of the various shades of green that I had described would have been captivating to absolutely nobody except those in a state of feverish hallucinations.

After I ran out of other names for green, I stood next to Edward's bed and put his hand in mine. A tingly sensation coursed through my fingers. At first I thought he was shaking, but he wasn't. It was as though his life force was making itself known in perhaps a last chance of physicality. I took his other hand and brought his fingers to my cheeks. My skin burned where his fingertips touched. His fever was blistering. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer. It felt as though he was familiar to me. We have never even exchanged a greeting, and yet my heart was breaking for this young man.

I looked down at his ashen face. Gone was the hint of pink on his cheeks that was there when he was at the symphony. Even a whisper away from death, he was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. His face was now covered in a two day old beard making him look more the man than the boy. His lips had that bluish tint and dark purplish circles hung under his eyes. I reached one hand down to smooth out his beautiful hair and his eyes began to flutter open.

He attempted to focus, but it was obvious that he was too fevered to see right. He whispered something that I couldn't hear. I lowered my ear closer to him and I thought I heard him say "My angel." When I turned and looked at him, he had a peaceful smile on his lips, which I returned. His hand was still clutched in mine, and he weekly gave it a little squeeze. His eyes closed again but the smile remained.

"Come back Edward. Please don't leave me." I whispered. I don't even know where that came from, but when I said his name it felt so perfect on my lips. He squeezed my hand once more and then drifted back into unconsciousness. There wasn't a force strong enough to pull me from his side. With his hand still entwined with mine, I laid my head down on his bed and slept in my chair.

"Bella, Bella."

Oh my gosh, it felt like I slept on a bed of nails. My neck was as stiff as a board when I tried to lift my head.

It seems like my fingers were welded to something, and then I realized that I was holding someone's hand. When I finally got my wits about me, I realized that I was still in Edward Masen's room and that Dr. Cullen was now in there with me.

"The nurses tell me that you've been in here for hours. You should go back to your hotel and get some rest."

I looked up at Edward and was completely shocked. His skin was grey and the circles under his eyes were black. His hand was burning with fever.

"Oh, God! Please tell me he's going to get better. Please Dr. Cullen." I was begging. Edward was much too young to die.

"I'm sorry Bella, but he's taken a turn. It will be any time now."


	4. The Proposal

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 4: The Proposal

"I'm sorry Bella, but he's taken a turn. It will be any time now."

"Not him. Please, please."

"Bella, let me walk you home. It's getting dark now and you shouldn't be here."

"I can't leave. I just…can't leave them alone. I can't. I can't."

My behavior was so strange. I wanted to lie next to Edward so he wouldn't be all alone. I wanted him to tell me all about himself, what his favorite color is, what foods he likes to eat. I wanted to lay my head on his shoulder and put my hand on his heart and tell him that I love him.

"Listen, I'll let you stay, but when this is…over…I want you to go back to your hotel and make plans to go back home. Your friend, Tyler is it? Yes, well he's faring much better and is being released tomorrow to make room for another patient. "

Hearing that Tyler was recovering was wonderful, but it didn't take away the gaping hole in my heart that Edward would not.

Dr. Cullen continued. "You've done enough. You did as you said you would, and brought sunshine to those who needed it so desperately. I'm proud of you and honored to have met you Bella."

I didn't do enough, but I knew that…after, I would not be able to come back to this place.

"I feel the same about you. I wish we would have met under better circumstances. I'll always think fondly of you Dr. Cullen."

Standing, I reached my hand out to shake his and he pulled me into a fatherly hug.

"We've been through too much together for a handshake. We will probably never have the chance to embrace again. If I ever have a daughter, I would hope that she would be like you."

We were interrupted by someone entering the room. A man, probably in his early fifties entered. His hair was thin and grey, and he had a concerned look on his face.

"Are you the Masen's doctor?"

"Yes, I'm Dr. Cullen. Are you a friend of the family?

"Yes, I'm Mr. Jenks; I've been Mr. Masen's law partner and friend for over twenty years. We went to law school together, too. How are they doing doctor?'

Dr. Cullen looked down and shook his head.

"Not well. It will only be a very short while I'm afraid."

Mr. Jenks shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Damn. Oh, pardon me miss."

"It's quite alright. You're only saying what everyone is else is feeling."

"Thank you. Are you a friend of the family?"

"No, not really, I just, well I'm just volunteering at the hospital. I ran into the Masens at the symphony the other day. I'm just heartbroken by this." I had to turn away before they could see me tear up.

Mr. Jenks walked to Mrs. Masen's bedside and patted her hands and whispered something in hear ear. He seemed genuinely saddened by her illness. He then walked over to the other side of Edward's bed and closed his eyes, shaking his head and letting out a sigh of resignation. He noticed that I was holding onto Edward's hand. I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn't in the least. Nothing would take me from Edward's side. Mr. Jenk's eyes moved from my hand to my face several times and then he got a strange look in his eyes and turned suddenly to Dr. Cullen.

"Dr. Cullen, may I speak with you please?"

"Certainly. Bella, we'll be out in the hallway. Just call me if you need anything."

I just nodded, and looked at Edward's face.

Mrs. Masen began moving, lifting her hand in Edward's direction. I reluctantly released Edward's hand and went to Mrs. Masen's side. She managed to grab my hand and grasp it. Her eyes were open a bit and it was Edward's eyes I was seeing. How could I not care about a woman who had the same eyes?

"Daughter?"

"No, it's Bella. I'm, um, helping out. You're in the hospital."

Her voice was very weak and I had to lean in to hear her. "Don't leave him daughter. He needs you. Promise me."

I knew she was hallucinating, but she stared at me, waiting for me to answer. She grasped my hand more firmly than her frail body should have allowed.

"Promise me, please."

She was gasping by this time and I panicked.

"Yes, I promise."

"Don't leave him." She mumbled.

Her hand went limp. She seemed resigned to just let go, and fell back to sleep. I cupped her face and kissed her forehead and went back to Edward's side. I told him that his mother was worried about him and that he had to get better so he could take care of her.

Soon Dr. Cullen and Mr. Jenks returned and looked at me expectantly.

"Bella, we need to talk to you about something very important."

I hadn't a clue as to what could possibly be important that would involve me.

"Sure, of course."

Dr. Cullen asked me to have a seat.

Mr. Jenks began.

"Miss, uh, Bella, I realize that we don't know each other, but Dr. Cullen has told me good things about you. Being a lawyer, I've run into my share of no-good nicks to know instantly that you are a decent person. Would you agree?"

"I try to be." I meekly squeaked out.

"I think you are. That being said, I have a proposition for you. A very serious one that would require you to carry quite a bit of responsibility. Are you following me?"

"Yes, I believe so. What do you need?'

"I don't know how else to say this, so I'm going to be forward. The Mason family is a very old and well respected family in this city. Heck, this whole state. They have a tremendous amount of money. Mr. Mason, of course had a will. However, neither Mrs. Mason nor Edward Jr. has one, I'm afraid to say. What Edward Sr. was thinking is beyond me. Anyway, from what I understand, there is not enough time for me to create wills for Edward Jr. and his mother. Besides, neither one of them has enough strength to sign the paperwork even if we did have time. Additionally, they have absolutely no other relations. This money, _their_ money is going to wind up going to the state. I don't know how much you know about Illinois, but when I say state, I mean it's going to line the pockets of the senator and his cronies and every crook from here to Springfield Illinois. I'm sure Mr. Mason is turning over in his grave just at me having said that."

"I believe you, but what has that got to do with me?'

Mr. Masen gave an odd look to Dr. Cullen, but they both had trouble looking at me.

"There is one sure way to prevent that from happening Bella. They need a family member to receive their inheritance. The only way they could have another family member would be if Edward Jr. were to marry and leave behind an heir."

I nodded. That made sense to me.

Dr. Cullen started speaking.

"Bella, as hard as this is to say, what Mr. Jenks is suggesting is that if you were to marry Edward, you would be able to receive his family's money."

"Pardon me?"

"Oh no, we're not trying to extort their money. Don't get us wrong. If you were Edwards...widow…you would be able to receive his inheritance and parcel out the money to charities that would use the money for good, instead of it going to a bunch of crooks. Frankly Bella, we don't have much time, and we need an immediate answer. I'm sorry, this is a lot for a young woman to handle, but we don't see any other way."

I was stunned and couldn't even speak. Thank goodness I was sitting down. My brain was swirling at such an outrageous proposition. _Be Edward's widow? _I thought I was going to be ill.

Dr. Cullen pulled another chair over and sat in front of me, taking my free hand in his.

"Bella, it really is a large sum of money and there are so many charities that could help people. What with all the people dying from the flu, you would be able to help so many families stay together."

What he said was true. This city was teeming with people in need.

"You can stay at the Masen's home and can take your time investigating the various charities, and choose and allot who gets what. Mr. Jenks will compensate you for your time, as is only right, and I'm sure your own family will appreciate that, wouldn't they? Perhaps you can use the money for a…wedding trousseau? There are also a lot of girls choosing to go to college nowadays. Bella, I know the circumstances are less than optimal, but it really would be a chance to help hundreds of people."

I had to take a few breaths as I thought I may faint. There was no way I could spend a dime of Edward's money, but my father deserved to have some money set aside for when he became elderly or needed medical help. Not to mention all those other people…

"Miss, Mr. Masen was a very good friend of mine, he would be grateful if you would do this last deed for his family. You could tell your parents that you're helping out here with the flu for a few weeks, and before you go home we could change your name back to your maiden name, no one would be the wiser and you can still find a nice young man to marry without having it known that you were a widow."

_This can't be real. _

"If you could just-"

There was a strangling noise coming from Mrs. Masen's bed.

_Oh God_.

Dr. Cullen rushed to her side and listened for a heartbeat. He looked up at us and shook his head.

The tears began to flow unencumbered from my eyes. This was really happening.

"Bella, there's a priest down the hall giving Last Rites. We can bring him in to marry you and Edward. If you choose not to do this, we will never feel less of you. I know we are asking about as much from a person as possible. If you need to leave, I'll take you home myself."

I couldn't breathe. How could I justify letting down so many people in need? I was afraid and wanted to be home in my own room, but I wasn't. I was here and this was real. I could figure something to tell my father, and it probably would only take a couple of weeks to divvy the money amongst the charities. Then I'd be back home as if nothing had happened.

Except, something will happen. Edward was going to die. Whatever it was about him, I was sure that he was someone that I would never forget. If I did this, married him, it would tie me to him forever, regardless of my name. Maybe, if he was gone, a part of him could still live on as long as my heart was beating. This boy, who said only two words to me in his lifetime, would be with me forever.

"Ok. Yes. I'll do it."

The two men looked at each other and then at me.

Dr. Cullen excused himself from the room. I suppose he went to find the priest. I clenched my stomach, willing myself to be strong enough to do this.

Mr. Jenks took on a new, professional persona. He pulled a pad and pencil from his jacket pocket and began pacing as he wrote.

"I understand you're staying at a hotel. Let me write down the Masen's address. I know they keep their key under the planter on their front porch, so you can let yourself in. Make yourself at home, because legally, it will be your home after all. I'll be by in a couple of days with some paperwork. You might want to make just a general list of the types of charities you'd like to donate to. I can have one of my secretaries investigate them and find worthy candidates."

Mr. Jenks reached in his jacket pocket and took out his wallet. He took several bills out and handed them to me.

"Please, take this. You'll be needing essentials, I'm sure."

"Mr. Jenks, I can't accept your money, sir."

"Bella, do you have any money?"

"I still have fourteen dollars and seventy nine cents."

He nodded. "You were probably planning on bringing most of that home to your parents, weren't you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I never have accepted money from anyone other than my father, and even then it was difficult for me.

"Listen, you'll need to have food while you're here. You are doing my friend a great favor, one that I can never repay. Mr. Masen would never forgive me if I didn't take care of you as I promised. Please allow me to honor my closest friend?"

He was right, I would have to eat.

"Thank you Mr. Jenks. I'll make sure anything left over will be returned." I put the bills in my dress pocket, too scared to see how much was there.

"There is one other thing I need to tell you. Now I certainly don't expect you to lie, and should the priest ask you any questions you are to answer honestly, but you may be uncomfortable with-"

The door swung open and Dr. Cullen and a priest walked into the room. The priest was very young, he actually looked like he was about nineteen, but I'm sure he was older than that. He had a solemn look on his face. The first thing he did was walk to Mrs. Masen's bed and we all followed and surrounded her. He said some sad but beautiful words, and we all whispered "amen" when he was done. I wished that I had gotten to know her. I kissed her cheek and whispered 'goodbye'.

We went back to Edward's bedside and Introductions were made.

Father Mike spoke to me. "Miss Swan, is it true, that you find yourself in a position that marrying Edward is, um, urgent?"

I looked around at the men in the room, and then down to Edward.

"Yes."

"Well then, due to…circumstances, I believe it's prudent that we get on with this. I have no doubt that young Mr. Masen would have done right by you."

I nodded, not really understanding what Father Mike was saying, as I was in a daze. Father Mike's face was a little red. I hoped that he wasn't falling ill.

Father Mike said the shortened version of wedding vows. I promised to love and care for Edward-as long as he lived. All the important promises were included and I had no doubt that I would honor them…considering.

I said "I do".

When Father Mike asked Edward, I put one hand in his and with the other I cupped his cheek and turned his face towards mine. He startled and his eyes popped open. Mr. Jenks carefully shook Edward's shoulders, saying his name over and over. Edward tried to focus, and he looked at me and whispered "yes". Then he closed his eyes once more.

Apparently that was all the confirmation Father Mike needed. Mr. Jenks held a pen in Edward's hand and had him 'sign' the marriage license. All three men signed as witnesses.

I was now Mrs. Edward Masen.

It was the worst day of my life.

Father Mike wished me and the little one well, which I thought was very odd that he would call Edward 'the little one'. He then gave Edward his Last Rites as he had to Mrs. Masen earlier in the day.

Mr. Jenks wrote down all the information I would need to take over the household. Before I knew it I was all alone with my husband. I held his hand and talked softly to him. I reminded him about how much his parents loved him. I talked about the beauty of the earth, and how I wished that we could both travel and see all the wonders of the world. I asked him about memorable moments, like his first day of school, and his first kiss.

I fell asleep in my chair, my head resting on his mattress, his hand in mine.

"Miss, miss, please wake up."

I felt someone shaking my shoulder. My hand was holding on to something.

Edward.

I looked up at his face.

Instantly I was fully awake. My blood ran cold as I looked at him. His mouth was slightly open and he was…too still.

The nurse took my hand and tried to pry it from Edward's, shaking her head at me.

No! No, no, no, no…


	5. Angel

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 5: Angel

Now Edwardwas_ my _angel.

The nurse looked apologetic.

"I'll give you a moment to be alone. But only a minute. You won't want to be here longer than that Miss."

I stared blankly at her as she left the room. This was incomprehensible.

I slowly turned and looked at Edward through the tears streaming down my face. My entire body began shaking and I could barely see.

"You're really gone. I'm so sorry. I wish you would have had the life that you dreamed about. I wish that I could have been part of your life instead of…_this_."

"I'll think of you often…Edward."

I said a prayer and then leaned over my husband.

He was still and lifeless.

I softly rubbed my lips against his as I cried and said goodbye.

It was my first kiss.

I looked down at him and saw that one of my tears fell on his face and made it look like the tear fell from his own eye. I wiped the tear and kissed him on each of his eyes before I turned and ran from the room.

I left the hospital in a daze. I don't know how I made it back to the hotel, but I did. I fell into my bed. My mind and body were numb. I cried myself to sleep.

I awoke to a sunny autumn morning. I could hear the sounds of the trolley, horses and automobiles wafting up to my window. And then it hit me. It must have been a dream—no, a nightmare. I threw my dress on, intent on going to Tyler's room to find him. That's when I found the wad of money and instructions in my dress pocket. It had been real. It still is real.

It didn't seem right that life went on around me. For the first time in my life I wished that it was a rainy day, like a confirmation that the darkness I felt inside was so real that even the sun couldn't shine. I knew that I should be asking myself _what's wrong with you? You didn't even know that boy_. But my feelings—this _pull_ with Edward felt true. I am…was his wife after all. Maybe instinct was telling me that this was meant to have happened.

After sitting on the edge of the bed for heaven knows how long, I stood and made my way to Tyler's room. He opened the door and let me in. He was very weak, but looking much better.

"Good morning Bella."

I gave him a hug and insisted that he sit down. He didn't seem to mind that I was alone in his room with him. We had been through so much together that we were past the formalities.

"Mrs. Vitale informed me that we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow."

"So soon? Will you be able to make such a long trip?" _Alone_?

"I think so. Bella, I can't tell you how much it meant that you took such good care of me. I don't know if I would have made it if I was all alone. I can't thank you enough."

"Tyler, I'm sure you would have done the same for me. That's what friends and neighbors do, right?

And he would. Tyler was a good person.

I told him that I had some errands to run, but that I'd be back later. He offered to accompany me, but he was certainly in no shape to do so, and there was no way I was going to tell him what I was actually doing. Before leaving, I told the front desk to make sure he had meals sent to his room, as he needed to save his strength and stay indoors today.

Following Mr. Jenks's instructions, I took the trolley as close to the Masen's home as possible and walked the rest of the way. The homes became progressively grander as I walked. Finally, I came to the house. There were larger homes on the street, but theirs had a calmness about it that was inviting and warm.

There were two carved stone lions flanking the front of their property. The dark brick home was three stories high and had a huge concrete front porch with a swing at one end and a couple of wicker chairs and table at the other. Their house faced a nice little park, and a church was just a couple of blocks away, at the end of the park. I found the key under the planter and took a deep breath as I put it into the hole and turned.

The first thing I noticed was the sun streaming through the leaded glass windows and the dust swirling in the air and dancing in the rainbow of light. It was entirely too quiet and I felt incredibly alone. I walked into the front room and looked around. There were two Chippendale chairs on either side of the large fireplace, and an overstuffed velvety couch facing the chairs. On the floor next to one of the chairs was a sewing basket. On the table next to the other was a tobacco pipe and ashtray. A newspaper was folded up and sitting in the empty chair. I picked up the pipe and smelled the tobacco, trying to create a memory of the father-in-law I would never get to know.

Above the fireplace was a large, beveled mirror. There were photographs of the family lined along the mantle. One looked like they were at a beach. Edward must have been about 10 years old. His skin was browned by the sun, and Edward and his mother were grinning from ear to ear. I hoped to find a picture of the daughter Mrs. Masen spoke of. There were no little girls in any of the photos. Perhaps she had once had a daughter who had been waiting for her in heaven?

The kitchen was a woman's dream. Hot and cold running water from a faucet. There wasn't a dish in the sink. Even dying, Mrs. Masen wouldn't leave a mess behind. There was a real electric refrigerator-not an icebox. The stove was gas fueled-not coal or wood. The pantry was stocked with all kinds of exotic foods. Olive oil? Does it taste like olives, and what would you fry with it? There were spices I'd never even heard of, cumin and powdered garlic?

I rinsed out the kettle and filled it with fresh water for a pot of tea. I tried to find a teacup that wasn't too fancy, but it seemed as though fancy was the only kind available. I didn't like having to use such good china for fear that I would drop a piece. Even though Mr. Jenks said this was now my home, it really wasn't. I was just a visitor for the next couple of weeks and needed to show the utmost respect for the Masen's home.

Not knowing what to do with myself, I decided that now would be a good time to put a letter together to send to my father. I scrambled around checking drawers until I found a pen, ink and paper.

What would I say? What could I say? I figured I'd take the advice I was given and blame my tardiness in going back home on the flu. I told my father that I was helping Dr. Cullen out and volunteering to help the influenza victims during this great time of need and that I would return home in a few weeks. _I was actually helping a family that had fallen victim to the flu, so that much was true. _ Don't worry about your little girl, Dad. I can not only take care of myself, but other people as well. Was I ever glad my dad wasn't face to face with me as I would never be able to pull this off in person.

The tea was delicious, as were the cookies that were left on a plate on the table. I admit that I cried a little seeing the cookies there and no one left in the family to eat them. They had nuts and molasses and I wanted the recipe, but then I remembered that there was no one to ask. I wrapped the last couple of cookies in waxed paper, as I had lost my appetite.

The tea went straight through me so I went to the back door to make my way to the privy. Only it was a tool shed, not a privy. Oh, right, _indoor plumbing_. I was so glad that no one witnessed my country bumpkin faux pas. I looked around at the neighbor's windows to make sure no one saw me, and then ran back into the house and found the bathroom on the second floor. I had no desire to see the empty bedrooms on that floor and rushed back down the beautiful wooden stairway.

Having promised Tyler that I would see him later today, I decided to return to the hotel. As I turned from locking the door, I was faced with a group of women making their way up the porch steps. A girl about my age stepped forward. She was extremely beautiful. Her hair was very blonde, very shiny and hung in waves down her back. Even from a distance her eyes were vivid blue and breathtaking. She wore a lovely silk dress that had embroidered roses along the collar, sleeves and hem-which showed the tiniest bit of her knees. I thought she was an angel. Until she spoke.

"Who are you and what are you doing in the Masen's home?"

I was flabbergasted. _Think fast Bella_.

"I'm…Mrs. Masen…Edward's wife."

Blondie's mouth hung open.

"Really? Well, then, _Mrs. Masen_, where is your husband?"

"Well, um, he had to go away and he sent me here to stay at his house. Our house. Now, if you'll excuse me ladies, I have an appointment to keep."

Yep, I high-tailed it right out of there before they had a chance to question me any further. They were too much in shock to say anything and before long, I was far enough away from them to be considered safe. Thank heavens that I wouldn't have to deal with the likes of that woman on a permanent basis.

I only got a little lost trying to find my way back to the hotel, but the trolley driver was very helpful.

**A/N: What do you think about the story so far? Do you like the look at 1918? Do you think this is plausible? I'd love to hear **_**your**_** theories. Reviews make writers smile and encourages them to continue writing (**_**truly**_**).**


	6. Tasks At Hand

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

* Chapter 6: Tasks At Hand

Tyler listened to the story I made up about staying behind to help Dr. Cullen. He wanted to speak to the doctor himself to be sure that I was in good hands. After many excuses as to why Dr. Cullen was too busy to come to the hotel, Tyler finally conceded and wished me well, promising to give my father the letter I had written. My hands shook from guilt when I passed the letter over to Tyler. I repeated the same story to our chaperones, who suddenly seemed concerned over those stricken with the flu and commended me for helping out the needy.

With my few possessions packed in my satchel, I made the trip back to Edward's home. I hoped that none of the neighbor women were watching, and had decided that while I was staying at the house, I would avoid going outside and being seen. I would make sure everything that needed to be done would be finished before dark so I wouldn't have to turn the lights on and alert them to my presence either.

What I really should be doing is telling all the neighbors about the Masen's and conducting a wake and funeral. They deserved that much so I promised myself that I would talk to Mr. Jenks about it when he came over. I had no idea how to handle such things. Until then, I was making myself scarce.

There were some leftover chicken and dumplings in the refrigerator which I heated up and ate. Wow, Mrs. Masen was an excellent cook. I washed the dishes immediately, not just because that's something I always do, but there was no way I would let Mrs. Masen's home fall to shambles while I was there.

Dreading having to go upstairs, I forced myself and headed straight to the bathroom. There was a large claw foot bathtub and it was heavenly being able to fill it with hot water without having to carry heavy pots from the stove. There were bottles of fragrant oils, but I couldn't bring myself to use such personal items. However, I did take a sniff of each one. They were lovely. I was a bit chilled since the nights were getting cooler, so I took a very long and very hot bath. I hadn't realized how tense I had been, and how much the water soothed my bones. I dried myself off using the softest towel I had ever felt.

I felt like Goldilocks, trying to figure out which bedroom to sleep in. The master bedroom was too large for just one person. The guest room was nice, but I didn't feel like a guest. I finally decided on Edward's bedroom. He was my husband, after all. _God bless his soul_.

His room was neat and tidy like the rest of the house. He had a picture of his parents on his bedside table. His bed was twice the size of my own and was covered with a gold crocheted afghan. Now that this would be my room, I unpacked my satchel and hung my dresses up. I laid my hairbrush and picture of my father on the dresser, next to Edward's baseball and mitt.

Donning my nightgown, I slipped between the sheets and was amazed at how comfortable his mattress was. I rolled over and buried my face into his pillow. It smelled like nothing I had ever smelled before, and I couldn't get enough of it. It was like some kind of spice, maybe mixed with orange and summer. I breathed it in greedily and was suddenly awash with sadness. That beautiful boy was no longer. The numbness that I had felt earlier had dissipated. All that was left was the cold, hard truth. Edward is dead. I cried myself to sleep all alone in the house of a stranger that I couldn't remove from my heart if I tried.

I awoke with a startle at my unfamiliar surroundings. After grasping my whereabouts, I quickly made the bed and put my dress on. At least it was a treat not to have to go outside in the cool morning air to use the privy.

I was almost to the bottom of the stairway when I heard a knock at the door, which almost caused me to trip. I managed to grab the banister in time to catch myself. It made me think about that if something happened to me in this house, I would be all alone.

I slowly walked down into the foyer and took a peek through the lace curtains on the door window. There was a blond haired man, not much older than me, dressed in a white uniform. The milkman. What a relief.

I nervously cracked open the door a little bit and he seemed surprised to see me. He glanced around, probably to make sure he was at the right house.

"Morning, Mrs. Masen home?"

"No, no she's not. May I help you?"

"Um, yes ma'am. I noticed that no one was taking the milk inside. I took the bottles back with me yesterday when no one answered. Do you know if Mrs. Masen still wants her usual order?"

"Oh. Well, no. I think just…maybe one quart of milk every other day and one pound of butter and a dozen eggs per week." It sounded more like a question.

"Cream?"

"No, thank you. I...uh…we won't be needing cream right now."

"Ok. I'm here the same time every day, so if you change your mind just let me know."

He was looking over my shoulder trying to peek into the house. I thought that was a bit nervy. I thanked him and went to close the door and he put his foot in front of it.

"Wait! Here's your quart."

He reached into his tray and handed me the milk. He was giving me the creeps and I didn't even want to have my hand anywhere near his, so I quickly grabbed the bottle and closed the door and locked it. I hoped those nosy neighbors didn't see me.

I made my way to the kitchen and fried eggs and bacon and made some toast. I almost burned everything as I was not accustomed to using a gas stove. Mrs. Masen's bread was very good, but I did prefer my own. I made sure there was enough flour, yeast and sugar, and planned on making a couple loaves tomorrow morning.

After washing the dishes—without having to heat up water on the stove—I went to get some paper to begin my charity list. I couldn't even remember where I found the paper I used yesterday to write a note to my father.

To the left of the parlor was a set of French doors that I hadn't entered yesterday. I opened them and was shocked. It was a room filled with all kinds of musical instruments. I had read about music rooms before, but had never seen one in real life. In the far end, in front of a very large window with a window seat below, there was a shiny, black grand piano. It was the first time that I thought about what would happen to the Masen's personal belongings. _So sad_. I went to run my fingers over the keys and I couldn't bring myself to touch them. It struck me that this room, which was meant to be filled with sounds of life, was just too quiet. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

I walked to the foyer and saw that on the other side of the staircase was a door. Inside was a beautiful library.The room wasn't too large. There was a heavy mahogany desk with an expensive looking leather chair. The bottom half of the walls were lined with bookshelves that had doors with leaded glass windows. The top half was shelves with volume upon volume of what looked like legal books. There was a navy blue and burgundy settee against one wall, facing the desk. An afghan was draped across the back of it.

On top of the desk was a tray that held Mr. Masen's stationery. I sat in the most comfortable chair I've ever set my behind in, and took a pen from the holder and opened the bottle of ink and began my task.

I began to think about the ways that the Masen family would want their money to be divided up. I noticed a Rosary on Edward's dresser mirror and figured that they must be religious, so my first entry was 'Church'. Next, I could only imagine that they would want to help the victims of the flu, so the thing that came to mind was 'orphanage'. The thought of it made my stomach squirm. You can be sure that there were children who had lost their parents.

So I sat for a couple of hours, making out my list. Some of the charities I chose were the public library, Dr. Cullen's hospital, and other typical groups with needs. Then I started thinking about the people in my own life. I wrote down _suffrage_ because I didn't even know if there were any charities that helped women in need, let alone what the names of the charities were. I would definitely need some help from Mr. Jenks with that one. I had no idea how to divvy the money up since I didn't know how much money we were dealing with. Mr. Jenks said the family was wealthy, but they didn't live that way. Sure, the house was a million times nicer than my own, but it wasn't extravagant. All of the items in the house seemed to be first quality, but not what I would have imagined from an incredibly wealthy family. _Not that I would know though, really._

I waited for a moment for the ink to dry, and then placed the sheet in the top drawer of the desk. I cleaned off the nub of the pen and closed the bottle of ink, putting everything back in its proper place.

Just as I was closing the library door, I was startled by a knocking at the front door. I peeked around the staircase and saw Blondie standing there impatiently. _No way_. She knocked again louder and crossed her arms on her chest. No doubt she was tapping her toes, too. Finally she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes and turned and walked away in a huff. I wasn't sure how long I could avoid speaking to the neighbors, but I sure as heck was going to do my best to continue.

I went to the kitchen and realized that I had absolutely nothing to do but wait for Mr. Jenks. I should have gotten some specifics as to when he would stop by, but things were so chaotic that he may have told me and I completely missed it. Well, the least I could do was keep the house in the cleanest shape possible out of respect for Mrs. Masen. I wasn't sure who all would be coming and going, but I would not allow the house to be dirty.

And so I began. I dusted, mopped, washed and swept the entire first floor. By the time I was finished it was getting dark, so I ate up the last of the bread and warmed up the remaining leftovers. I would need to go shopping in the morning and buy some fresh food. Mr. Jenks was right, I did need food and his cash was certainly appreciated.

I took another long, hot bath, _Oh my gosh I could get used to this_, and fell fast asleep in Edward's bed.

It was another beautiful and sunny day when I woke, but I was feeling anything other than cheerful. Melancholy hit me hard. I wanted to be home, in my own room getting ready for school. I held back the tears and took some deep breaths. I didn't belong here. I didn't want to be Bella Masen. I wanted to be Bella Swan again. I was ready to jump out of my skin. Instead, I jumped out of my-_Edward's_-bed and made it quickly. Then I slipped my dress on, eager to get my day over with.

In the kitchen, I grabbed a large bowl, filling it with enough ingredients to make a couple of loaves of bread. I covered the bowl with a cloth and set it on the stovetop to rise. With everything in order, I headed out to go shopping, hoping that I could escape undetected by the neighbors.

I stood on the porch step, realizing that I had no idea where the stores were. Just great. I thought I passed some stores where the trolley dropped me off, so I headed in that direction, praying that I would not get lost. I was about three houses down when I heard a singsong voice say "Oh, Mrs. Masen". I looked around frantically wondering how the heck Mrs. Masen could be there.

"Mrs. Masen, wait up!"

A tiny girl with the most adorable short black hair ran down her steps toward me. I froze.

"Mrs. Masen, I'm Alice Brandon. I've known Edward for a couple of weeks now, and I really like him. It's so nice to meet you."

Then I remembered that I was Mrs. Masen. It took me a moment to be able to speak. I finally put my hand out to shake hers but she put her arms around me and gave me a gentle hug instead. I was too flabbergasted to hug back.

"It's nice to meet you Miss Brandon."

"Please, just call me Alice. We are going to be good friends after all."

She had the kindest smile on her face and it was infectious, so I smiled back.

"Okay, Alice, and please, call me Bella." _Please_.

"Sure Bella. We are you headed?"

"Well Alice, that's a good question. I need to do some shopping and I'm not sure where I'm going."

Her eyes lit up and I could swear that she started drooling.

"Shopping? Did you say shopping?"

I nodded. She looked around nervously.

"Wait here, I'll be right back."

She ran back into her house. Now it was my turn to look around nervously. If Blondie came by I was outta here. A minute later Alice came running down the stairs with a huge grin on her face.

"Let's go!"

She grabbed my arm and turned me in the opposite direction and began talking a mile a minute.

"So, how is it that we haven't been introduced? How long have you known Edward? Did you have a big wedding?"

I stopped walking and tried to speak, but nothing would come out. I was about to burst into tears when she gave me another hug.

"I'm sorry. It's none of my business. When you're ready to tell me, I'll just listen, okay?"

"Thank you, Alice."

We walked hand in hand in silence for a couple of blocks. I admit I needed the time to compose myself. I didn't want to lie to Alice, but there was no way I would be able to explain the situation to her. I felt like a heel not telling her that her friend had died.

She brought me to a street called Milwaukee Avenue. There were shops lined up and down the street as far as the eye could see. Alice began bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands.

"Isn't this the happiest place on earth?"

"Actually, it's a bit overwhelming. I just need to get a few groceries."

She pouted a little bit but led me to a meat market. I placed my order with the butcher and waited for him to wrap everything up. Alice raised her eyebrows at the small amount of meat I requested, but didn't say a word. She tapped her fingers on her lips at the few vegetables I chose at the fruit stand. When I told her I need to buy a dress, she put her hand to her heart and looked like she would cry with happiness. She brought me to a large store called Carson Pirie Scott, and we made our way to women's clothing. Alice rushed about, pulling dresses off the racks and began telling me how nice I would look in them.

"Those are very nice, but not really what I'm looking for."

I glanced around and found a rack with dark materials. I began going through them until I found an appropriate black dress and held it up to myself to see if it would fit.

Alice stood still and a tear fell from her eyes.

"It's a lovely dress."

I nodded and proceeded to pay for it. It was entirely too much money, but I would not have time to sew my own.

It was then that I realized that Alice's dress was two sizes too large for her and quite simply the ugliest dress I think I had ever seen. Shame on me for thinking that, but it was true.

"Alice, I really loved those dresses you picked out for me, but it wouldn't be right for me to buy one for myself. Do you understand?"

She whispered, "yes".

"But it would make me very, very happy if I could get one of those dresses for you, and you could wear it for me by proxy."

"Bella, I could not let you do that."

"You have to...I _need_ you to. Now if you don't pick one out for yourself, I'm going to do it for you."

I walked past her and went back to the racks pulling out a gaudy yellow and purple dress and held it up. Alice gulped and cringed. I raised one eyebrow and she got the hint and began her quest to find a dress that she liked. She found a darling little dress that was perfect for just about any occasion. I figured if I was going to spend money on charitable causes, then I would begin with the people that cared about Edward. She thanked me profusely, and carried her package like it contained a precious piece of art.

Alice was just a chatterbox on our walk home. I was grateful that she didn't ask any more questions. I did ask her a few though.

"Do you know who the beautiful girl with the long blonde hair is?"

"Was she nice?"

I hesitated.

"Rosalie Hale. She thinks she's just the cat's meow. Her mother, well, if you think Rosalie is scary, and rightly so, you had better steer clear of her mother." Alice shivered.

"I will. I promise."

We reached Edward's house and Alice hugged me again.

"Bella, it will all work out. I'm certain of that. Would you mind if I come to visit you sometime?"

"Of course you can! Um, will you be coming alone?"

She nodded solemnly.

"I'll cut through the alleyway and come to your back door to knock, okay?"

I nodded my head emphatically. Alice grabbed my arms and looked me in the eyes.

"It _will_ work out Bella."

I know she had no idea as to what was going on in my life, but it felt so good to hear comforting words just the same.

My hands were full of packages, but I managed to make my way into the kitchen without tripping, as I was hardly able to see over the top of the bags. I leaned down to set everything on the kitchen table and noticed a movement.

I barely heard myself scream before I hit the floor.


	7. Ghost of Indiscretions Past

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 6: Ghost of Indiscretions Past

I felt fingers caressing my hand, leaving a trail of heat on my skin. My head was pounding and I knew that when I opened my eyes that the light was going to hurt. I took my free hand and placed it over my face and peeked through my fingers. I could see the lamp at the foot of the couch, and realized that I was in the Masen's parlor. I turned my head and froze. I squeezed my eyes closed and began to pray.

"Are you alright?"

The voice was scratchy, but gentle just the same.

_Please, God, please let me wake up. _My heart was pounding in my chest.

I felt a damp cloth being wiped over my forehead. I dared to open my eyes again, hoping that whatever I thought I saw was not really there.

He was.

I jerked my hand from his grasp and scooted to the far end of the couch, bringing my knees to my chest.

"I won't hurt you. I promise. Can you tell me who you are and why you're here?"

I could not speak. He waited a moment.

"Ok then. I'll tell you who I am. My name is Edward Masen, and this is my home. Are you here to see my mother?"

He had been sitting on the coffee table and then moved to sit on the other side of the couch. Is he an angel? Am I dreaming?

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

I shook my head.

Then I took a good look at him. He wasn't transparent, and I thought a ghost would be somewhat see-through. No, he looked exhausted, although better than the last time I saw him…when he was _dead_. He was wearing wrinkled clothes, and frankly he smelled terrible. His hair was simply disgusting and his face looked like it hadn't been washed in days. He had trouble holding his own head up or keeping his eyes open.

I'm going with the _he's not an angel_ theory.

"Do you know your name?"

I nodded.

"Could you tell me your name?"

"Bella."

"It's nice to meet you Bella. I'd shake your hand, but…"

His eyes were kind, but apprehensive. I was a complete stranger who had invaded his home, and I probably looked like a wild animal.

"Bella, I'm sorry, but I'm very tired and need to get some sleep. Were you leaving?"

I had nowhere to go and I panicked. He raised his palm to me.

"That's ok. Why don't you relax for a bit while I rest. Will you be alright down here alone?"

Knowing I had no alternatives, I meekly nodded.

He looked at me and gave me one small nod. He slowly rose and stumbled towards the stairs. I jumped up immediately.

"Do you need help?"

He gave me a small smile and shook his head.

"I can manage."

He took a couple of steps and then fell to his knees. I rushed to his side and put his arm over my shoulder and helped him up. We managed to get him to the landing and I headed him towards his bedroom. I helped him to the edge of his bed to sit.

"Would you like a bath?"

He looked up at me and said "Oh God, yes. Please?" And then put his hands up to his face and began sobbing.

I ran to stand in front of him and wrapped my arms around his head and pulled him to my chest to comfort him. He cried for a few minutes and then took a deep breath and pulled away from me. He turned his head while shaking it. I could tell he didn't want to cry in front of me.

"I'll get your bath started."

Not looking at me he just nodded.

I began his bath and placed the things he would need on a chair next to the bathtub. I discreetly went back into his room and quickly found his under things, pajamas and a robe and placed those items in the bathroom, too.

The bathtub filled up quickly and I went back into the bedroom.

"If you need me to help you in the bath, I can do that?"

"No, I think I can do it."

He got up on shaky legs and walked across the hall.

"Ok, but I'll be waiting right outside the door. If you need anything, just yell for me, ok?"

He nodded and closed the door behind him. I leaned against the hallway wall and slid down to the floor. This cannot be happening. Edward died. I saw him with my own eyes. They rolled him out of the room and down to the morgue.

But he's here. I don't think you can actually help a ghost up the stairs, so he is not a ghost. _Thank heavens for that_.

Edward is…alive. And he's back in his home. He will have a full life after all. _Thank you, God_. He will become a man, get married and have children….

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god_. My thoughts went in a million directions.

The door clicked open and Edward stood before me. The guilt was all over my face. I would have to tell him what I had done. He looked at me with confused eyes.

"You're still here?"

I just nodded and stood.

"Will you be here when I wake up?"

I whispered "yes", unable to look him in the eyes.

"Can we talk after I rest?"

_Oh, God._

I nodded again.

He made it to the bed and fell into it like a lump, and was out before his head hit the pillow. I pulled the covers up to his neck and made sure he was securely tucked in. He hadn't dried his hair so I ran back to the bathroom and retrieved his towel so I could dry it for him. _That was going to be a mess when he woke up._ Unthinkingly, I ran my fingers through his damp locks. Even after knocking at death's door, he was the still most beautiful boy I had ever seen.

I sat on the edge of his bed with him for a while. His beard was now full and scraggly. He still had dark circles under his eyes, but he was alive.

_I was in big trouble_.

After realizing the impropriety of sitting on a bed with a boy, I went back downstairs to the kitchen and put the loaves of dough into the oven. Edward looked extremely thin and needed to eat. I peeled some potatoes and carrots, and took the small beef roast that I had purchased, and put them in the oven on the rack underneath the bread. I unloaded all of the things I bought, not knowing where to put the black dress since I wasn't sure about anything anymore.

So I sat at the kitchen table, my thoughts swirling about in my head. What on earth was I going to tell him? _How about the truth?_

Yep, the truth it would have to be. I thought I would be sick.

Time flew by while I was trying to think about what I would say to Edward. I hadn't even remembered that I had pulled the bread out of the oven, and it was almost cool now. The sun was beginning to set, and if I was lucky Edward would sleep through the night. At least if I were going to be thrown out by him, I hoped that it wouldn't be dark when he did. I hated the thought of taking Mr. Jenks' money, but if I was sent out on the streets of Chicago, I would have no choice but to use the money for a train ticket.

"Bella?"

I nearly jumped ten feet high! Edward was leaning against the kitchen wall.

"Edward. Please, sit down. Let me fix you something to eat. You must be starving."

I rushed around the kitchen getting some dishes together and pulling the roast out of the oven. I filled a couple of plates up with beef and vegetables, and sliced some fresh bread to put on the table.

"This looks delicious. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I hope you're able to eat?"

He gave me a small smile. "Me, too." He said a silent prayer, and he tentatively put a small bit of roast in his mouth. A genuine grin spread across his face and I was shocked that he had enough strength to shovel the food in as fast as he did. I don't even think he realized how fast he ate until his plate was empty. Knowing that there was no way I would be able to eat a bite, I stood and removed his plate and replaced it with my own. He gave me a questioning look and I just said "Please, eat." And he did.

When he was done with his roast and three slices of bread (he gave me an apologetic look when he used a slice of bread to soak up every last drop of gravy on his plate) I removed his dishes and put them in the sink.

"Edward, why don't you go ahead and sit in the parlor while I do the dishes and make us some tea? I suppose we should have our talk, don't you think? That is, if you're feeling up to it?" My hands were shaking as I said this.

I took a good look at him. Between his bath, nap and a good meal, his coloring was already a vast improvement.

"Yes, I suppose we should. It's getting very late, and I'm sure your family is wondering where you are." It sounded more like a question.

"I'll just be a minute."

Edward went into the parlor.

I had no idea what to say. Not at all. I took my time getting everything done, hoping that maybe he'd fall asleep while waiting for me. The dished were done, and the tea was ready, and I had no more reason to stall. Carrying the tea tray _and praying that I wouldn't spill hot tea on Edward, in addition to all that I had done to him_, I walked into the parlor.

Edward was sitting in what I assumed to be his father's chair. I chose the couch to sit on because I could not bring myself to sit in Edward's mother's chair. And so we sat. Just looking into each other's eyes wondering what the other was thinking.

Edward put his fingers on the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. After a minute he began to ask questions.

"Bella, can you tell me why you're in my house?"

_That was a loaded question._

I tried to speak, but again, where do I begin?

"That's ok. How about this. Where do you live?"

"Washington."

He blinked in confusion.

"D.C.?"

"State."

"You're quite a long way from home. Why did you come to Chicago?"

"I was in the national science fair."

He nodded.

"Have you and I met before?"

"Sort of."

"Hmmm…where did we sort of meet?"

"At the hospital."

"I know why I was at the hospital. Can you tell me why you were there?"

"I was volunteering. My friend was there, and it was the only way I could see him."

Something flickered in his eyes, but was gone in an instant.

"Did you know my…parents?"

"I spoke with your mother…for just a moment...before…"

He had to turn his head away for a minute.

"Did my mother invite you here?"

"No."

"How did you know where I lived?"

"Mr. Jenks told me."

He looked surprised.

"How did you meet Mr. Jenks?"

"He came to visit you and your mother at the hospital."

Edward's foot began tapping on the floor. I didn't think this was a good sign.

"Would you care to tell me what kind of conversation you had with Mr. Jenks that would lead you to this house?"

I wanted to run out the door and all the way to Washington. Instead, I stood and began to pace.

"He…Mr. Jenks, told me that you and your mother had no other family."

"So, you thought that you could stay here since no one else would be here. Am I right?"

I shook my head.

"What else did Mr. Jenks have to say?"

"He said that since you had no other family, that the crooks would get your…inheritance."

The color was coming back to Edward's face—but it was a bit too pink.

"Did Mr. Jenks have a suggestion as to how that problem could be remedied?"

"He did."

"Bella?"

I stopped and looked at him.

"What did Mr. Jenks suggest?"

"Oh God. I'm so sorry Edward. If it wasn't for the charities and the needy flu victims and orphans…

"Bella!"

I froze.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice. Please, please tell me what Mr. Jenks suggested."

"He said that if you were married your money could be used for good things."

"I couldn't hear you. Would you please repeat that?"

His face was now red and his hands were clenched. He must have seen me looking at his fists so he tried to relax his fingers, but he only managed to dig them into the arms of the chair.

"He said…he said that if you were…married…all of your family's money would go to your wife…and that she could channel that money to charities so the crooks wouldn't be able to get their hands on it and…"

"Please, Bella, please tell me that you're lying. Please."

I wanted to tell him that I was lying. Tears were running down my face.

"Bella, are you my _wife_?"

I couldn't look at him. I just nodded.

"What kind of a monster are you that you prey on the dying?"

I beseeched him with my eyes, begging him to see that I wasn't a monster. I loved him. _I loved him?_ I'm a good person. I walked over to his chair and fell on my knees in front of him.

"It's not like that Edward. I don't want your money. I never wanted to do anything but help your family out."

"You wanted to help my family out by robbing our graves? I want you out of my house. Do you have anywhere else to go?"

I shook my head no. He bowed head, and his hands covered his face. Finally, he looked up at me.

"I won't be accused of sending a girl out alone at night, regardless of what kind of person she is, but you will leave here first thing in the morning. Your kind disgusts me."

He got up and walked towards the stairway, not looking back. I was unable to move. After a moment I heard him call down from the top of the stairs.

"It appears that you've already taken ownership of my bedroom. You can sleep there tonight, but make certain that you strip the bed linens in the morning before you leave—and don't take anything that doesn't belong to you."

He slammed a door and then I was left with the just the sounds of my tears hitting my dress. I couldn't even feel my body as my legs automatically carried me upstairs and I undressed for bed. Edward's scent flooded my senses when I pulled the covers up, and I knew that if he could take that pleasure away from me, he would.

As much as I wanted to go back home, being sent away like a common criminal was not how I ever imagined that my dream trip to Chicago would end. It didn't take too long before I fell asleep due to sheer exhaustion.

**A/N: Thanks so much to those who have left some very nice reviews. **

**I'm trying to paint a picture of how different life was back then, especially the roles of men and women. I hope you're enjoying my journey.**

**Now that Edward's back, it's going to be so much more fun. **

**Please leave a review and let me know if the story is what you expected. **_**Thanks!**_


	8. Nail In The Coffin

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

* Chaper 8: Nail in the Coffin

I woke and for the first time in days I didn't question if I was still asleep. Reality hit me like a ton of bricks last night. After stripping the bed as ordered, I gathered all of my things and put them in my satchel before taking my last trip to the bathroom. The shine and luster from all the modern conveniences was gone. They were only reminders that I didn't belong here. I only needed to grab my traveling coat from the front closet and I would be on my way. There was a trolley on Milwaukee Avenue that would take me to the train yards.

Being extra careful so that I wouldn't trip while carrying my satchel, I went down the stairway. Edward was at the landing. I didn't dare speak.

"Miss…huh, I guess I don't even know my own wife's last name. Or former last name as it were."

"Swan. Isabella Swan."

"Miss Swan, may I speak with you before you leave?"

I hesitated. I truly did not feel like hearing what he had to say.

He gestured toward the kitchen. "I think you owe me this much."

_True._

I set my bag down in front of the door and waited.

"Please, come in the kitchen and sit down."

I followed him into the kitchen and took a seat as far away from him as possible.

"After giving this some thought to your leaving today, I realized that I was being too hasty. There are some legal issues we have to deal with and I didn't even know your full name until a moment ago. If you leave before we take care of this, we are going to still be married, and that simply cannot happen."

_Rude awakening, Bella_. I was supposed to be a widow.

"You have my attention. But I'll be honest, the thought of being a divorced woman really scares me."

He smirked. "It's much easier to be a widow, right?"

I didn't respond.

His smirk fell when he realized that I wasn't going to bite. "No. I'm Catholic and divorce would not be acceptable to me either. We can go to see my priest and he can give us an annulment. Unless you plan on fighting me about it? How much money do you want for this favor?"

I knew I shouldn't have said anything but he insulted me to my very core. "How much do you have?"

"The money is going to be tied up in probate for some time, I imagine. But we can come to an agreement, I'm sure. Your _friend_ Mr. Jenks can even have written up, all legal like. I'm certain he can word it so it doesn't reek of extortion."

I let out a sigh. I wasn't in the mood for games. "What do you need me to do?"

"Grab your coat and we'll walk to the church right now."

Just then my stomach gave off a rather loud growl. I hadn't eaten dinner last night and I was starving.

Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Go ahead and eat before we go."

I wanted to tell him that I didn't need his stupid food, but alas, I did. There was a long journey ahead of me and I wasn't sure when I would eat again.

I quickly heated up a skillet and threw a few eggs in when the pan was good and hot. Without saying a word I divided them onto two plates and placed them on the table. Edward was still leaning against the sink with his arms crossed over his chest when I began eating. Finally he pushed himself off and without saying a word began to eat. It was all I could do to not smirk in victory. When we were done I grabbed the plates and readied the sink to wash them.

He waved his hand. "You can leave them for me when I get back."

"Did your mother ever leave dirty dishes in the sink?"

He was taken aback by what I had said. "No, but..."

"But nothing. I don't leave dirty dishes in the sink either. You can wait a whole two minutes while I wash them."

He shook his head and stood. "I'll be in the parlor when you're ready to go."

Thank heavens he left the room. I wasn't about to start crying in front of him again. By the time I was finished with the dishes I managed to pull myself together.

Edward was more than ready to go when I walked into the parlor. He was perched on the edge of his chair and jumped up the second he saw me. I could tell that he was still struggling with getting better, but apparently he was more stubborn than sick.

It was a beautiful day so I left my coat behind while Edward opened the door for me. He cleared his throat and put his hand out palm up. I raised an eyebrow at me. "The key."

_What key?_

He pinched his nose. "_My_ house key."

"Oh. That key."

I reached into my dress pocket and dropped the key in his hand and then walked down the porch steps to wait for him on the sidewalk. He strode right past me as if I wasn't there. He was already a few steps in front of me when I finally began to follow. When he made it to the corner he was already about 20 feet ahead of me. He turned and put his hands on his hips in impatience.

I marched up to him. "If you expect me to run after you, you're sorely mistaken."

"Fine. Just try to keep up."

We walked the two blocks to the church in silence. When we entered, Edward walked up to a dish of water and put a finger in it and brought it to his forehead and blessed himself. He waited for me to do it as well and I just shrugged my shoulders and gave him a blank look. _I have no idea what he's expecting me to do_. He walked to the front of the church with me trailing behind, and then turned off into an alcove of sorts and then through a doorway. We went down some stairs and into a hallway with several doors. Edward stopped in front of a very old and heavy wooden door and knocked. I could hear a man inside telling us to come in.

Inside was a nondescript office of sorts. Behind the plain wooden desk was an elderly priest. He gave us a bright smile and stood.

"Edward, son, how are you? You haven't been here in a couple of weeks. Is everything okay?"

Edward shook his head. "No father. Everything is…not ok. My parents…the flu…"

The priest went around the desk and pulled Edward to him. "I'm so sorry, son."

Edward held onto the priest and I turned away to give them privacy. It hit me then how hard this must be for him. Not only did he think that that he was married to a horrible person, but his entire family was gone. I vowed that I would make this as painless as possible for him regardless of what he thought about me.

Edward pulled away from the priest's embrace and the priest motioned for us to sit down.

The priest extended his hand to me and we shook. "I'm father Seth; it's good to meet you."

"Hello father. I'm Bella Swan...or…Masen, I suppose."

Father Seth's jaw dropped but he managed to pull himself together quickly.

Father Seth gave a questioning look at Edward.

Edward cleared his throat. "We want an annulment."

Father Seth looked at each of us. "I see. May I ask why?"

Edward crossed his arms over his chest. "Because this girl hoodwinked me while I was dying and now she needs to go back to wherever she belongs."

Father Seth just nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he looked at me.

"Mrs. Masen…"

Edward groaned.

"Mrs. Masen, would you please describe how you two came about to be married?"

I folded my hands in my lap. "I was volunteering at the hospital and was in Edward's room when a friend of his family, Mr. Jenks, came in to visit. He explained to me that Edward's family's money would go to a bunch of crooks since there was no one else in the family to inherit their money. He said that if I were to marry Edward, I would be able to take that money and give it to charities, then go back home and no one would know any better. The doctor said that Edward had very little time left, so I had to make my mind up in a hurry. I thought that the money would be much better off in the hands of the needy instead of the crooks, so I agreed."

Father Seth nodded. "Was there an actual wedding?"

"Yes, there was a priest at the hospital and he married us."

"Do you remember the priest's name?"

"I think they called him Father Mike."

"Did you say I do?"

"Yes."

"Did Edward say 'I do'?"

"No."

Edward looked smugly at me.

"Did he say anything?"

"He just said yes after Father Mike spoke the vows."

Edward's smirk was gone. "Why would I believe a word you say?"

"Because it's the truth!"

He shook his head and looked at Father Seth as if to say, 'See, she's a big fat liar'.

Father Seth sat there in contemplation. Finally he spoke. "I don't suppose that the two of you have…" He made some kind of gesture towards Edward.

Edward gasped in indignation and shook his head emphatically. "Of course we didn't!"

_Didn't what?_

Father nodded. "Edward, Mrs. Masen, the Church places marriage vows at the very top of all that is sanctified. You both made a promise to God—one that should never be broken."

He raised his eyebrow indicating he didn't expect an argument from Edward.

"You _both _made that promise. Obviously, these are very unusual circumstances, therefore, instead coming straight out and telling you that you cannot have an annulment; I am going to insist that you try your best to keep your promise to God. If you both decide in six month's that you cannot live as man and wife, you can make your request again. As for now, your vows stand."

Edward and I both looked at each other in shock. Well, I was in shock; he just looked like he was going to explode.

"Father Seth. I can't stay in Chicago. My father is going to be worried sick about me. I have school and—"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Masen. Are you Catholic?"

I shook my head no.

"We consider it a sin to break marriage vows. Edward would be excommunicated from the church if he were to divorce. That means that in addition to losing his parents, he would lose his entire community. I have no reason to doubt what you've told me, and I believe that your heart was in the right place. That being said, you have made a promise and you are expected to keep it."

Now I gulped.

Father Seth continued. "I want you both to listen. Edward, Bella is your wife. You are expected to take care of her. You _will_ treat her as any good and decent man treats his wife. You will provide for _all_ of her needs. You will protect her. You will honor her. Bella, Edward is your husband. You will take care of all of his needs. You will make sure he comes home to a stable, clean house and you will honor his requests. You will make sure he has _everything_ he needs to stay strong and healthy. He is the man of the house and shall be treated as such."

There was no question that Father Seth meant every word he said.

We all just sat there. I was ashamed. Edward was in shock. Father Seth was serious.

Father Seth brought a finger to his lips and tapped them for a moment. "There is one other, very important vow that you took that you will have to keep."

We looked at Father Seth. _I was hoping this would be an easy one._

"You will both love each other."

Our jaws dropped simultaneously.

Father Seth stood to dismiss us and walked us to the door.

"Oh, and I'm sure I'll see you both in church on Sunday."

I stopped so I could try and convince him to change his mind but he just gave me _the look_, so I didn't dare.


	9. This Is No Honeymoon

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

***Chapter 9: This Is No Honeymoon**

Edward and I walked home in silence. He had a bit of trouble walking and had to stop and catch his breath a couple of times. I offered him my shoulder to lean on, but he refused.

He unlocked the front door and we both sat down in the parlor. Him at his father's chair and me on the on the couch, both of us looking down at our hands.

After a few minutes he spoke. "Well, _Mrs. Masen_, it seems that we'll be spending the next six months together. I'll have a key made for you and I suppose you'll be needing money for household expenses. We can take care of that later. Since you've already moved into my bedroom you might as well stay there. I'll move my things into my…parent's room."

I looked up at him and he seemed exhausted and distraught. "I'm sorry Edward-

He waved me off. "Really, Bella, I'm having a lot of trouble _loving_ you right now. I'm just going to go upstairs and rest a while. Can you please not cause any more…pain while I do that?"

I just sat there while he went upstairs.

Of three things I was certain:

_Edward Masen was not dead._

_I was now Mrs. Edward Masen-for the time being._

_Edward hated me._

Edward never made it downstairs for lunch. Regardless of how things were between us, I still cared about his well being. I made two sandwiches and wrapped one up in paper so he could eat it later.

The linens I stripped off my bed had to be washed. I gathered them and brought them down to the basement where I easily found the washboard. Before placing them in the hot water, I gathered the sheets to my face and took a big last whiff. The smell was divine. The last thing I wanted to do was wash away that scent, but oh well.

After running the sheets through the wringer, I took them to the back yard to hang. Please_, neighbors, mind your own beeswax. _

"Psst…Bella, Bella."

Warily, I looked around to see who was calling.

Two houses down I spotted Alice who was also hanging her wash to dry. I waved and managed a smile for her. She looked around and held up one finger for me to wait. She disappeared behind the laundry that was blowing in the breeze and then I heard the click of a gate. She had gone through the alley and walked into Edward's yard.

She ran up to me and gave me a big hug, which I truly needed. We pulled back and smiled at each other. My smile was short lived.

Alice had a busted lip and a bruise on her jaw.

"Oh Alice, are you ok? What happened?"

"I just fell, I'm really clumsy."

If there was one thing I had noticed about Alice is that she was as graceful as ballerina.

She quickly changed the subject. "I saw you walking today with Edward."

"Um, yeah, we went to church."

"You two are perfect together."

My eyes slammed shut. I couldn't bear to let such a nice person see my guilt. She gave my hands a squeeze and before I could say anything I heard a shrill voice scream out.

"Alice!"

Alice's eyes popped open wide. It looked like genuine fear.

"I gotta go."

She ran to the back gate while saying, "I'll see you again as soon as I can."

As I was walking back into the house I heard that shrill voice yelling again but I couldn't make out the words.

When I opened the screen door, the first thing I saw was Edward sitting at the kitchen table, eating some bread and jam.

I tried to muster a smile. "I put a sandwich in the refrigerator for you."

He said he would eat that later. It kind of hurt my feelings.

It was then that I realized that he had shaved his beard off. He looked much younger without it. I could see the sharp definition of his jaw and the shape of his full lips. It took me a moment to realize that I was staring and only because his eyes were now glaring at me.

He asked, "Who was that you were talking to outside?"

"Alice Brandon."

"How did you come to know Alice?"

"She walked with me to the store the other day. Which reminds me. I didn't buy enough food for, um, two people, so I'll probably need to be going again soon—if that's okay?"

He nodded.

"Edward, I know you said that your inheritance would be held up in probate. I still have fourteen dollars and seventy nine cents and I can use that. It should last for a little while. We can at least get groceries. I can be very thrifty."

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"I have my own money, not that it's really any of your business—or perhaps that is your _business—_but I'll take care of your _needs as promised._ I'll leave money the tea cup in the top shelf of the cabinet. I'm not sure how much you'll actually need, but when it's running low, just let me know and I'll take care of it. Aside from groceries, is there anything else you'll need?"

"No, nothing. Thank you."

He gave me a nod and resumed eating.

Again, I tried to be nice. "Do you have any favorites?"

He gave me a blank stare.

"Foods. Favorite foods? Or foods that you really don't like?"

He shrugged. "Not particularly. When you make steak, I like it very rare. Bloody, really." _Icky_ "Also, I'll be returning to school on Monday, so if you would buy some lunchmeats and bread so I can pack a lunch I'd appreciate it."

"Oh, school. I overheard some people while I was shopping and they said that the schools were closed because of the flu."

He looked at me in surprise. "What happened? I have never heard of such a thing. This illness…"

"Edward, speaking of the illness, have you thought about your…parents?"

He brought his hands over his face and nodded. "I'm leaving in a few minutes to take care of arrangements. I'll probably be gone for most of the day as I have several places to go. If you like, I can drop you off on Milwaukee while I make a couple stops, and then bring you back here before I head out again."

I wanted to reach across the table and take his hand to show that I cared, but I thought that I'd better not. "I can go with you to those…places."

He shook his head. "No. This is my responsibility and something I need to do alone."

"If you change your mind, I'm here for you. If you just want to talk or anything at all, I'll listen."

He didn't acknowledge my offer at all. "When will you be ready?"

"I just need to freshen up upstairs. I can be ready in five minutes."

The ride to Milwaukee Avenue was in complete silence. I didn't mention the automobile, but it was a work of beauty. My father had an automobile, so I had experience riding in one, but it was functional, not luxurious—there was a cage of sorts in the back to hold prisoners. In the back of this car was a padded seat and each of the doors had its own roll down window. It smelled like leather, unlike the vehicle my father used which smelled like drunks had been riding in it.

Edward had a lot on his shoulders and I didn't want to disturb him. When he dropped me off he gave me thirty dollars. I told him I didn't need nearly that much and he told me to put the rest in the teacup. He gave me a time to meet him. He noticed that I didn't have a watch so he pointed to a building that had a big clock on the top of it.

I found a very nice Polish deli and the owner let me sample some of the ham. It was incredible. The Jewish bakery smelled like heaven. I bought a nice poppyseed coffee cake, some Kaiser rolls for the ham, and some pre-made mustard which was even better than my own recipe. I stopped at the fish market and it reminded me about my dad and his love for fishing. I hoped he didn't miss me too much.

I still had about 30 minutes left, so I juggled my packages and went to sit at the lunch counter in Woolworths. I ordered a bowl of strawberry ice cream and ate every last drop. I was right across the street from where I was to meet with Edward when I looked through the window noticed he was already parked and waiting.

I rushed out of Woolworths and a police officer stopped traffic so I could cross the busy street safely. When Edward saw me he jumped out of the car and helped me put my packages in the trunk.

I was afraid to say anything on the way home, so I didn't. His face was unreadable. Without saying a word he turned the car off and carried the packages in and set them on the kitchen table, then walked into the parlor.

After putting everything away, I quietly joined him in the parlor and took a seat on the couch. He was just staring into space.

It wasn't until I spoke that I realized just how quiet the house was. "Will you be going back out or did you get everything taken care of already?"

He started to laugh. It wasn't a happy laugh. "Oh, it's already been taken care of. You see—"

He started whispering at this point.

"You see, so many people have died that the powers that be decided on mass burials. My parents are in graves numbers 2427 and 4833. Yep, that's mom and dad. Good old 2427 and 4833. The good news is that they at least have pine boxes. There aren't any coffins left in the city so I should be grateful for that much."

Edward stood and walked towards the staircase. When he rose some papers fell to the floor, which he disregarded. After he was out of sight I picked them up and read the paperwork which indicated the address and lot numbers of the burial sites.

I didn't know Mr. Masen, but Mrs. Masen deserved better than that. Not knowing anybody in the city aside from a couple of people, I didn't know who to turn to for help. Edward gave the distinct impression that Mr. Jenks was not one of the people he would want to help, so he was out. The only other person I could think of was Father Seth.

I folded the documents up and walked straight to the church. Going through the alcove and down the stairs, I knocked on the door. There was no answer. I trudged back up the stairs and heard a noise coming from the altar. It was Father Seth.

He was very kind and thoughtful while I explained the situation to him. I hoped he could lead me to someone who could help. He mumbled something about consecrated ground and took the papers from my hands.

"Bella, the Masens deserve better than that and I'm going to take care of this. I'm going to do my best to see that they have a proper burial."

"It sounds like that is going to cost something. Do you think it will be expensive?"

Father Seth gave me a comforting smile.

"There's not a business in this city that would refuse the Masen's credit. Not only that, knowing Edward, he would sell the shirt off his back to see that his parents are resting in peace. Let me get back with you in a couple of days. In the meantime, I want you to relax a bit."

I thanked him profusely and had to promise again to be in attendance at church on Sunday. I prayed that something could be done for the Masens.

_Please God, don't let this backfire on me like everything else I do._

Knowing that Edward had a terrible day, I decided to make a real nice dinner for him. I had a nice corned beef and cabbage and got to work adding spices, and I hoped that I chose the right setting on the stove to let it simmer while still keeping it tender.

Trying to lighten his spirits a bit I set the dining room table and made it look very pretty, even if I say so myself.

When Edward came downstairs I told him we were eating in the dining room tonight.

As carefully as I could I carried in the corned beef and cabbage on a nice serving platter and set it in front of him to carve.

He made no move to cut the meat. "Corned beef?"

I beamed. I knew it smelled delicious and would taste even better.

"Bella, I'm Catholic."

"Yes?"

"It's Friday."

"Yes, it is."

He did that nose pinching thing again. "We don't eat meat on Friday."

"Your family doesn't eat meat on Friday?"

"No, Bella. All _Catholics_ don't eat meat on Friday."

_And how was I supposed to know this?_ "And how was I supposed to know this?"

He pushed away from the table and stood up.

I followed him out of the dining room. "Are there any other secrets that I should know about, Edward, before I spend an entire day only to make a fool of myself?"

He stopped suddenly and I ran into his back. "Silly Bella. You're not the only one with secrets in this house. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you refrained from eating that in here today. My family does not eat meat in this house on Fridays. The ham sandwich you ate earlier was more than enough."

I wanted to grab the entire corned beef and sink my teeth into it just for spite. But, I promised Father Seth, so I didn't. _Darn, I didn't even take a taste of it while cooking and it smelled soooo gooood. _Edward stood there looking like he expected an argument. I went back into the dining room and picked up the platter and brought it back into the kitchen so I could put it away. I heard him go back upstairs. After cleaning, I ate some of the biscuits I had made along with a wedge of cheese. The aroma of the cursed dinner was still hanging in the air.

Even though it wasn't my fault that I wasn't aware of this odd ritual, I knew Edward still needed to gain his strength back so I fixed him a tray and brought it upstairs to him. I stood outside his door and put my ear against it. No sound at all. I knocked and waited for him to call me in. Instead, I heard him walk to the door then open it.

"You need to eat." I offered the tray out to him while trying to look around him to see what he's been doing in the room. There was nothing out of place. It was tidy and the bed was made. There were a couple of open books on his bedcover.

"What are you reading?"

"Books. Thank you for the food."

I was dismissed.


	10. Confessions

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

A story by tumblin' di

**Chapter 10: Confessions**

Saturday was pretty much a repeat of Sunday-_except we ate meat_. Edward stayed exiled in his room except for meals, which he ate in silence. I cooked and cleaned.

Around 3:00 there was a knock at the front door. Of course I peeked before I would open it, but I knew I would have to answer the door or Edward would question what was going on. We needed to talk about how we would respond to (nosy) neighbor questions.

Sucking in a breath, I opened the door and a woman with a warm smile was standing there with a cake in her hands.

"I'm Esme Cullen, I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood and bring you a little something to nibble on while you're here."

_I was so relieved_.

"Oh, please, come in. It's so nice to meet you. I hope you have time for a cup of tea?"

"I really don't want to impose…"

"Nonsense, Mrs. Cullen. Any wife of Dr. Cullen is welcome in my home."

She walked into the foyer and we heard a door open upstairs.

"Bella, who's here?" Called Edward from the upstairs hall.

"It's Esme Cullen. Dr. Cullen's wife."

Esme's eyes were going from me to the top of the stairs and she looked panicked. Slowly, her arms began to give and the cake she was holding began to slide off. Quickly, I managed to get the plate from her hands before any damage was done. She put her hand over her mouth and began backing towards the door.

"Esme, are you alright?"

"Who…who…" She was pointing up the stairs.

"It's only Edw…OH! Oh Esme. You didn't know?"

She couldn't speak. Oh my gosh, she didn't know that Edward had survived.

Edward walked down the staircase and began to smile as he saw Esme but he immediately switched to concern when he saw how upset she was. Edward walked to her side and guided her into the parlor. I hurried to the kitchen so I could put the cake away because this was a visit I wasn't going to miss. Every time I even mentioned the hospital Edward would walk out of the room.

Esme was sitting on the couch when I walked into the parlor, so I sat next to her and put her hand in mine. She looked like she had seen a ghost. _Well I guess she should_.

"Esme, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I suppose you husband had given you rather bad news about me, right?"

"Indeed he did."

"The only thing I can remember was waking up on a gurney in the morgue. The attending doctor probably woke up a few other dead people with as loud as he screamed."

Esme and I just looked at each other at that last statement.

"Eh, well, he explained to me that sometimes, a person's breathing and heartbeat are so shallow, that they're undetectable. He assumed that either that was the case, or that whomever verified my, uh, death, didn't do a very good job. It's really not that uncommon of an occurrence. I wasn't even the first corpse he had seen come back to life. He also said that bringing me down to the morgue probably saved my life. It's so cool down there that it must have broken my fever."

Esme was crying at this point. She got up from the couch and Edward rose as well. She gave him a strong hug and put her hands on his face, squeezing his cheeks. He squirmed a little but smiled at her just the same.

She sat back down and was shaking her head, I suppose she was trying to clear her thoughts. This was an amazing thing, after all.

Esme told Edward how sorry she was about his parents. I could tell that Edward thought the world of Esme. When she finally turned to me she froze for a moment.

"Oh."

"Oh, indeed" replied Edward.

Esme looked like a fly caught in a web. She suddenly stood rambling about not wanting to intrude, we must be so busy…

Edward and I walked her to the door. I thanked her for the cake and invited her to visit any time. She was shaking so badly that I wondered how she managed to walk but before Edward could offer to walk her home she was gone.

We both walked back into the parlor. Before Edward had the chance to do his disappearing act up the stairs I said:

"For what it's worth Edward, I'm very glad that you survived. Even if it means having to live this charade, I'm very glad."

He just turned and walked up the stairs.

I spent the rest of the day alone which gave me plenty of time to think about what my life had become and what my future held. It was pretty bleak. I still had no idea what I was going to say to my father. Lying was not something I wanted to do, but if I told my father the truth, he would never allow me back home. Even worse than not having a home to go back home to was knowing the pain it would cause my father to discover that his only daughter was soon to be a divorcee.

There was one last truth that I may also have to face, but I refused to think about it. It was just too terrifying. Instead of facing it, I cut a big slice of Esme's cake and ate it. I didn't bring any upstairs for Edward.

Why, oh, why was Edward knocking on my bedroom door at six in the morning?

"Bella, you're going to make us late for Mass."

"I'm up, I'm up."

_I don't want to get up_. But I did_. Six o'clock on a Sunday morning? Are they crazy?_

I hurried and threw my Sunday dress on. I rushed so much in the bathroom that I spilled tooth powder all over the front of myself—_well at least I smelled minty_. It must be raining, because my hair was all over the place. I had bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. The best part was that I was going to have to listen to a sermon that would probably tell me that I was going to be damned. What a great start to the day.

Edward was waiting in the kitchen for me, eating a piece of cake. He was dressed in a smart, dark blue, pin striped suit with a white shirt and stiff collar. His hair went every which way, but I was beginning to realize that it wasn't his being incapacitated which caused it—that was how his hair was all the time. It made me angry that I wanted to rub my face in it so badly.

We realized at the same time that he was staring at me as well.

He casually stuffed one last bite of cake in his mouth.

"Is this dress ok? I have one other if I'm not dressed right."

"No, no, you look…appropriate. Ready?"

I nodded.

_Appropriate?_ I guess he's trying to be kind because it's Sunday. _Another rule maybe?_

I pulled my coat out of the hall closet and we met at the door. He was gentlemanly enough to allow me to go first. The sun was just coming up and I saw that there were quite a few people on the sidewalks and street heading to church. There were some very large families and the children seemed to be well behaved. Some people were dressed to the nines, and there were just as many who wore clothes that were obviously dated. My dress fell somewhere in between.

We were headed up the steps to the church when I someone behind us said "Edward, Edward, wait up."

We stopped and looked behind us. Blondie and apparently her mother and father were waving us over. Edward's face tightened up, but he placed his hand against my back and led me down to our neighbors.

"Oh, Edward, I can't tell you how devastated we all are over the loss of your parents. I'm sure you've been very _busy_ (she very obviously looked at my hand for a ring and my belly for a bulge) which is why there haven't been any funeral details in the newspaper. Edward, you must let your wife know that she has certain social responsibilities now that she's taken your mother's place in your home."

Edward's fists clenched up at his side. I put my hand on his forearm.

"I'm sorry that we haven't properly been introduced. I'm Bella Sw—Masen, and you are?"

"My heaven's, I'm Mrs. Hale, of course, and this is my husband and my daughter Rosalie. So very _nice_ to meet you Bella. I'm sure you'll be having an open house soon and then we'll be able to get to know one another much better."

Edward gritted his teeth and said:

"_Mrs_. Masen and I should be finding a seat now. Good day Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hale, Rosalie."

"Oh and _Mrs_. Masen, it's so refreshing that you decided to forgo wearing black and choosing light colors instead. You must be from somewhere with a very modern morality."

Edward and I were probably both a matching shade of red. He looked down and saw my eyes were brimming with tears. He put his hand on my back again and led me to the side of the building so no one would see me cry.

"We don't have to go in Bella. Father Seth would understand if you can't do this."

"Are you embarrassed of me?"

"No, I'm embarrassed that I know people like that."

"Then I want to go in. I won't allow ignorant people like her to choose where I can and cannot go."

A flicker of a smile came to his face and we walked into church together.

Edward did that thing with the water again, and before he sat in the pew he briefly knelt down on one knee. I didn't know if I should curtsey or something. _I'll need to learn the rules_.

To say that the church was beautiful was an understatement. For one thing, it was huge. There were giant stained glass windows on either side down the entire length of the church. They were breathtaking. The altar was white marble, and at the end of it was a series of sculptures of Christ and Mary in various stages of their history. Everywhere you looked there were gold statues and candles and with the sun coming through the stained glass window the entire interior sparkled.

An elderly woman sitting behind me tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and she handed me a square of lace and a hair pin. I had no idea why she gave it to me and she pointed to her hair. I noticed the all the women at church were wearing hats or veils, so I put it on to make her happy. I guess she thought I'd feel out of place without a hat.

Everyone became quiet as Father Seth went up to the pulpit. He began speaking—in _Latin_. _For a real long time_. Edward and everyone else seemed to be answering him in unison—in _Latin_. I was lost. Also, I was always the last person who would go from standing, to sitting, to kneeling…

Edward didn't even look at me. He seemed entranced. There were several people who weren't so entranced though, and they were staring at me and whispering amongst themselves. Finally Father Seth began speaking in English so I had something to occupy my mind.

He gave a sermon on how good deeds are sometimes not acknowledged and that we need to understand that there is only one opinion that matters, and He knows what's in our hearts. _I love Father Seth._

Edward went to the front of the church to get communion while I sat and waited. I was the only person in the church who did not go to communion. I may as well have had horns protruding from the top of my head and done a little dance on those kneely benches to deserve all the stares I was getting. My face had to have been red enough to look like the devil himself.

Father Seth reminded us to pray for our soldier's safe return, and also remember those who were affected by the flu. _Amen_.

We had to wait in line to leave the church. Father Seth stood at the door, greeting all of the parishioners. When it was our turn, instead of shaking my hand he wrapped me in a gentle hug.

"I'm so glad you came Mrs. Masen. It was probably a bit overwhelming the first time and I do hope that you come back again next Sunday—or any time that you want to visit with me."

"Thank you Father Seth. I'll be back again on Sunday."

"Oh, actually Mr. and Mrs. Masen, I'll be going to visit the people who are unable to get to church today, would you mind if I stopped by while I am making my rounds. I have something I'd like to talk to you about?"

Edward replied, "Of course, you know you're always welcome."

The crowd behind us was getting a little restless to get out. One girl in particular was looking at me like she wanted to pull my hair out. _I thought being nice was a Sunday rule? _I realized then that Alice was standing behind her so I waved. I was surprised that Alice was wearing that raggedy old dress instead of her new one. Miss Meany was now glaring at Alice. I thought I would wait for another day to chit chat with Alice as I couldn't really understand what was going on between her and Miss Meany.

As Edward and I were walking home I asked him if he would be able to teach me some of the 'rules'. He laughed a little but said that he would do that before next Sunday. I also asked if he knew who Alice was with and he told me it was the Mallorys. He said that he really didn't know the situation, but that Alice was a recent addition to the family.

When we got home I fixed us a quick breakfast and went to work preparing for a big Sunday dinner, hoping that Father Seth would join us. I made chicken fricassee and mashed potatoes along with baking powder biscuits. We still had most of Esme's cake left so we could have that for dessert. Since it was Sunday, I also put the percolator on the stove to make some coffee. It would probably take an hour to brew but we would have enough for the whole day.

Surprisingly, Edward stayed in the kitchen with me most of the day and read the Sunday paper and watched me cook. _Must be that Sunday nice thing again_. He gave me tips on the customs at church. He explained that most of what was said in Latin was repeated every week and translated some of the main words that were used. When I asked him if I was supposed to curtsy before sitting down he had a good laugh. He showed me how to 'genuflect'.

When I was done preparing dinner and we ran out of safe subjects to talk about I fixed us both a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table with him.

I wanted to get to know Edward better, but I knew that he was reluctant to tell me about himself because he didn't trust me. So I started with some easy questioning.

I asked if he was excited about getting back to school and he admitted that he was. He blushed a little and nodded when I asked if he got good grades. He shyly admitted that he was hoping to be valedictorian. He said his father would have expected no less. He told me that his school was called St. Mary's and that there would be 75 people in his graduating class. His eyes popped when I told him that I was in a class with 5 other seniors. He asked about my grades and I also shyly admitted that I was a good student. When he asked about my favorite teacher I laughed and told him that I had the same teacher since I began going to school.

After a pause, I took a deep breath and asked the big question:

"Edward, normally, I wouldn't be so intrusive, but given the situation, I was wondering if you have or…had…a…sweetheart?

He pinched his nose and opened his mouth to answer and someone knocked at the door.

"I'll get that."

_Darn!_

I could hear Father Seth's voice coming from the foyer. Edward led Father Seth to the parlor so I put together a tray of coffee and joined them there. We made some small talk and when asked if he would be joining us for dinner, Father Seth informed me that there was a _rule_ that no priest was allowed to refuse chicken fricassee.

"Edward, Bella, I have some good news for the both of you."

We looked at him expectantly.

"Edward, I discovered that your parents had already purchased a lot at St. Joseph's Cemetery. I've arranged to have them removed from where they are now and have them buried at St. Joe's on Saturday morning. This should give you some time to make an announcement in the paper so everyone will be able to pay their respects."

Edward was stunned.

"I'm stunned. I don't even know what to say or how to thank you. This is beyond—

"I admit I did have to wrestle with a few demons—and when I say demons I mean the city bureaucrats—but if it wasn't for Bella bringing this to my attention it would have been too late to take care of it."

Edward looked at me through damp lashes.

"Bella, I don't know what to say, but thank you. So much. You, too Father, thank you both so much."

Father Seth wanted to give Edward a moment so he had me show him where he could freshen up before dinner.

We all ate happily at the dining room table. Edward had a shine in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. I don't know if he was just happy to hear about his parent's situation or that he was in love with my chicken. I swear if he was alone he would have licked his plate.

Before he left, Father gave Edward details about the service on Saturday and he warned me to expect a lot of visitors that day. When I asked him if it was inappropriate to wear clothes other than black during the week, he assured me that people Edward and my age were not required to do so. Not only that, but the church had changed their views on that saying that life was meant to be colorful, not bleak.

Edward was still not 100 percent, so he went to bed right after Father left. I cleaned up and took a long hot soak in the bathtub. Considering how my morning began it actually turned out to be the best day I had in quite a while. _Oh, if only that feeling would have continued_.

The next day Mr. Jenks stopped by.

Edward ushered him into the library and closed the door in my face. I pressed my ear to the door but really didn't need to since Edward was yelling loud enough to be heard across the street. When I heard the chairs scrape against the floor I ran to the kitchen so they wouldn't know that I had been listening.

When Edward came into the kitchen I casually asked what happened.

"Bella, I could see your feet under the crack of the library door and I know you listened to every word that was said."

I turned red and wanted to the floor to open up and swallow me.

He laughed and shook his head and mumbled "women" as he walked out of the room.

When he returned he was holding a stack of mail in his hands. His eyebrow lifted and he handed me two envelopes. They were one was addressed to _Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen_ and the other to _Mrs. Edward Masen._

Edward folded his arms across his chest and waited for me to open them. The first one contained our marriage certificate. The second contained his death certificate. He held his hand out to me. I couldn't move. He made the _gimmee_ motion so I finally handed them over.

He let out a dark chuckle and said "at least it's the same date so there's less of a chance of forgetting our anniversary." He walked out of the room and I was left standing there like an idiot.

Later that day Dr. Cullen came over to speak with Edward. There was no yelling this time but Dr. Cullen politely refused the tea I offered and was quickly ushered out the door by Edward after their short 'chat' in the library.

"Bella, I have to downtown tomorrow and get the status of my 'death' changed. Will you please stay out of trouble while I'm gone?"

"Yes, but Edward, I'll have you know that I never had any trouble before until I met you." He just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and I'm going to stop by the school and find out the status of that. I take it that you would like to continue your education while you're here?"

I nodded enthusiastically. Most men would consider a wife's education a waste of time. _As long as you know how to cook and clean is all that mattered._

"One other thing. We have a cleaning woman that comes in every Tuesday. She'll be here around eight."

And true to his word Mrs. Wolinski was here bright and early. She cleaned the kitchen first so she would be out of my way. She took the rugs outside and beat them, scrubbed the floors and dusted. I really didn't want another person to clean my house, but it was a really huge house and difficult to keep up with. Mrs. Wolinski let me know that I should gather the dirty laundry and she would drop them off at the cleaners when she left. _Wow, no bloody knuckles from the washboard_.

A knock at the back door startled me. Alice was bouncing on her toes waiting for me to answer it.

"I hope you don't mind me barging in like this but I missed you so much."

"Alice, you are always welcome to visit. Come sit down and I'll fix you some tea."

"It was nice seeing you at church, I'm sorry that we didn't have time to talk."

"Bella, when you see me with Lauren or Mrs. Mallory, its best that we don't really talk...or anything."

This was an odd request.

"I don't want to pry, but is there a reason for that."

She looked sad.

"You don't have to tell me—

"No, you are my _best_ friend. I just don't want to upset you."

"I'm a really good person to talk to, if you want…"

"Well, I was found at the hospital and I couldn't remember anything. The doctors seem to think that I may have had a very high fever and it affected my brain. I had a piece of paper in my pocket with_ Alice Brandon_ written on it, so we're assuming that this is my name. Several people tried to find out who my family is, but we haven't any luck. Mrs. Mallory found out about me and brought me to her house and lets me live there with her family. That's about it, really."

"I couldn't help but notice that you said _her_ family. Do they treat you like family Alice?"

"They feed me and I have a place to sleep. If it wasn't for them I would be out on the streets starving, so I'm grateful for them."

I nodded but didn't press the subject. I had a strong feeling that Alice more than earned her keep. She was overly thin, her clothes were barely more than rags, her fingers were red and raw and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"If you can stay for lunch, I'll share my story with you. You said you were my best friend, so it's only right that I tell you about myself as well"_. I would have told her anything to make sure she had a good meal_.

So I told her _everything_. Except about the butterflies I felt in my stomach every time I looked at Edward. She promised to keep my story to herself.

There was another knock at the back door and I saw Esme through the window. I invited her in and introduced Alice to her. It was kind of funny, Alice's eyes were wide and she seemed to be in awe of Esme. Alice was on her best behavior and never took her eyes off of her.

Alice looked at the clock and jumped up, running to the door. We hurried our farewells and Alice hugged Esme and me goodbye.

After Alice left, Esme apologized for her 'rude' behavior the other day, which I completely understood so there was no need to apologize. She let me know that she lived just a few houses away, which was nice to know. We made small talk about the neighbors and then she asked about Alice. I figured Alice could as many allies as possible, so I told Esme what Alice told me, and I also gave some of my opinions. Esme admitted that she certainly would not want any daughter of hers to be in a house with Mrs. Mallory and her daughter Lauren.

We both had dinners to make for our husbands and it was getting late. We promised to have tea with each other at least a couple of days a week.

Edward came home and into the kitchen as I was getting dinner started.

"I hope everything went well?"

"No, it didn't."

I poured him a cup of tea and set it down in front of him.

"What happened?"

"First, I have to get some paperwork notarized proving that I'm not dead. Then those will have to go through the proper channels before I'm declared alive. In the meantime, my father's money is still going through probate with you being named as the sole heir."

"Edward, that's one thing you don't have to worry about. I wouldn't touch a penny of your money."

"Humph. Then there's the matter of school. It will be reopening next week, however, _married_ men and women are not allowed to attend. I have been officially dismissed from St. Mary's."

"Oh, Edward! I'm so sorry. You were going to be valedictorian and I've ruined that for you."

"The good news is that I'll be able to finish my studies from home and receive a diploma."

I couldn't take it. I began to sob. I've totally ruined Edward's life. I am truly the horrible person that he thinks I am.

He came behind my chair and hesitated at first, but began patting my hair.

"Don't worry. They said that you could study from home, too. I'll get a tutor for you and you'll get a diploma, too."

I just nodded, unable to say that my education wasn't what made me cry. It was what I had taken from him that was killing me. Besides, in six months I would be scrubbing people's floors just like Mrs. Wolinski and a diploma wouldn't matter.

Edward's hand felt so good in my hair that I almost didn't want to stop crying so he would continue caressing me. I was going to need all the comforting I could get before I dropped the bombshell. I figured this day was already bad so I would face the demon thought that had been plaguing me since the day Edward died.

"Edward, as long as it's been such an awful day, we might as well put all of our cards on the table and get things over with. I think you should sit down."

I took a deep breath and folded my hands together. I couldn't bring myself to look at him so I stared at my hands.

"Edward, there is a chance that I may be…with child."

**A/N: Oh yes I did.**


	11. Immaculate Conception

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

A story by tumblin' di

**Chapter 11: Immaculate Conception**

**A/N: This is based on absolute truth. It's a short chapter because I didn't want to keep you waiting.**

I looked up at him and his face was red.

"Are you meaning to tell me that after all you put me through you're going to thrust an illegitimate child into my life as well?" He slammed his fist on the table, then got up and started pacing the floors. He was running his hands through his hair, well, it was actually more like pulling it.

"Start talking Bella! Whose child is it?"

"Yours."

He stopped in his tracks. I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

"Edward…I thought you were dead, so I kissed you, thinking that we couldn't possibly have a baby since you were dead, and you were my husband after all, and then when I found out that you weren't really dead…well, of course things were different then—"

"Slow down!"

"So you think you may be with child because…?"

I was so incredibly embarrassed.

"I kissed you."

"You kissed me?"

"I thought you were dead so I didn't think you would mind. I'm sorry. It was wrong of me."

"What else did you do?"

"I kind of, um, smoothed your hair down."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it."

"I see. And since you, um, kissed me, there's a chance that you may be with child, right?"

I nodded, ashamed of myself.

"So Bella, tell me how that works. How does a kiss make you…with child?"

"I don't know how it _works_, just that is does."

"And who told you that this is how a girl becomes…with child?"

"Everyone knows that Edward. I've heard a million times—that girls who kiss boys will wind up in the _family way_."

Edward put his hands in his face and began sobbing. I've devastated him.

I ran to him and tried to pull his hands away and comfort him. I was stunned to see that he wasn't crying, but laughing so hard that tears were coming from his eyes. _I've made him insane_.

He fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. _I was starting to get a little miffed._

"Edward? Edward, talk to me. Please?"

He finally stood and spoke.

"Well Bella, I guess we will only be a matter of days before we know for sure, right?"

"I sincerely doubt that my belly will get big in a couple of days Edward, I'm not that stupid. It will be months before I get fat."

My comment started a whole new wave of laughter from him. He went upstairs almost choking from his laughter. _Insensitive jerk_. I could hear him laughing in his room for a full half hour.

He managed to compose his stupid self while we at dinner in the kitchen. He laid his silverware down and wiped his mouth off with his napkin.

"Bella, you're not pregnant." _I can't believe he used that word_.

"How can you be sure? Do you think maybe your illness prevented it or something?"

He coughed, trying to conceal a laugh.

"Um, no…Bella, kissing does not make a girl pregnant." He used that word _again_.

"Really? Then why would people tell me that?"

"I think because kissing can _lead _to the steps it takes to become pregnant. I think people said that to make sure you stayed _nice_."

I had to contemplate this. I did see Regina kiss a boy and she never got _pregnant_. Why would people lie to me? If you didn't become in the family way by kissing, how did it work? Angels?

"Ok, supposing you're correct."

"I am."

"Then how does it…work?"

He started turning pink and weird noises were coming from his lips.

"I'm waiting."

He pinched his nose.

"I don't really think it's my place to explain it to you."

"You are my husband, Edward. If it's not your place whose is it?"

"Jeez, it's not that easy. Give me a couple of days to try to find the right words to say it."

I didn't know why he couldn't just spill it out right now.

"Fine. Do you promise?"

"Yeah. Promise. Later."

"Well, thank heavens I'm not…you know."

He tried to look sincere but his lips kept twitching, holding back a smile.

_Mr. Smarty Pants._

**A/N: Yes, a relative of mine thought that she would get pregnant if she kissed a boy. She was 16 years old and it was 1960. Imagine Bella's life back then. She had no mother. Most **_**decent**_** people did not talk about s.e.x. No such thing as learning this stuff in school. Educational books—forget it. Could you imagine a wedding night without having a clue? **

**As far as Edward's 'misdiagnosis' in the last chapter—this was not uncommon. You really don't want graphic details about the when mistakes were made. Ew.**

**I would absolutely love to hear your comments.**


	12. Family and Friends

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

A story by tumblin' di

**Chapter 11: Family and Friends**

Esme came by the next day with the newspaper in her hand. She showed me The Masen's obituary. She asked if I was ready for it.

"Ready for what?"

"All the visitors that would be here Saturday for the Wake."

Apparently the Masens had many friends and I wasn't prepared for what was about to take place. I was expected to have a lot of visitors on Saturday and plenty of food and beverages for them. Esme helped make a menu and grocery list out. She promised that she would bring over every spare dish she owned so I would have enough to go around, and help me cook and set up the house for visitors. While we were doing this the door rang several times with neighbors coming by to offer their help.

Lauren Mallory and her mother, as well as Mrs. Hale and Blondie, and a girl named Jessica Stanley came by under the guise of offering their help. They never really committed to doing anything specific and it was obvious that they actually came by to snoop.

Mrs. Mallory was really at her best when she let me know the Mrs. Masen knew how fond she was of the vase on the table in the foyer and how much it reminded her of Mrs. Masen. When I ignored her not too subtle suggestion that I give her the vase she turned to Lauren and asked her if she was going to wear the same dress that she wore when Edward took her to the last church social. The whole room became uncomfortably silent. Lauren tossed her hair from side to side and said she hadn't made her mind up yet. To my surprise, Blondie spoke up:

"I can't imagine Edward caring what dress you wear Lauren. I think his mind will be _other _places."

While I appreciated what Blondie, I mean _Rosalie_, said, it was obvious that I was the wrong girl for Edward. He would never have chosen someone as plain and boring as me. It made sense that Lauren would be the girl he wanted.

As everyone was leaving, Edward came down the stairs and said goodbye to them. His timing was such a convenient coincidence as I was stuck with the neighbor women without him all day.

Mrs. Mallory told Edward that she would send her _girl_ by Friday evening to help me prepare. Of course she meant Alice. Esme and I both looked like we were going to be sick. I would make sure that _Alice_ helped by eating some healthy food and taking a break.

Edward agreed to take Esme and me shopping on Wednesday morning because it would take at least a couple of days to prepare all the food. I remembered how much Alice loved to shop so I planned on asking Mrs. Mallory if I could borrow her _girl_ to help me then, too.

Edward asked me if now would be a good time for him to move his personal belongings from his room to his…new room. I followed him upstairs. We began taking things from his dresser and setting them on his parent's bed. I avoided his undergarment drawer and let him do that himself. We went to hang his suits up in his parent's closet and saw that there wasn't much space. He realized that all of his parent's clothing was hanging there unused.

He rubbed his face.

"Would you like me to take care of these for you?"

He nodded.

"Why don't I just move these to the spare bedroom right now and let me worry about it later?"

He went back into my room to get more things. When I walked in, I saw him rubbing the gold afghan between his thumb and finger. I figured his mother probably knitted it for him.

"Edward, why don't we just move that cover over to your new bedroom? It will look so nice in there and it seems that your new room has a draft. I'm sure you need more covers."

I pulled if off of my bed and brought it to his new bedroom. I told him that if I got cold that there were plenty of covers in the linen closet for me to use. It seemed that I officially had my own room now. _His and hers bedrooms._

On Wednesday, Mrs. Mallory was reluctant to allow Alice to join me on the shopping trip until I told her how much I appreciated her offer of letting her _girl_ help out. Alice deserved an award for holding back her surprise and enthusiasm so Mrs. Mallory wouldn't know how happy she was.

Edward, Alice, Esme and I loaded into Edward's car and headed off for a day of shopping. Even though the event was somber, all of us found happiness being in the company of friends. We had so much to do that at one point we all split up to go into different shops and planned on meeting at Edward's car to put our bags in the trunk before continuing on. When we met, Edward announced that it was time for lunch and he drove us to a tiny Hungarian restaurant. He insisted that everyone try a soup called chili. It was kind of a cross between a stew and a soup. It was a little bit spicy, but oh so good.

The waiter was so outgoing. He kept asking me if I liked the chili and even brought another ladle full and poured it into my bowl. He said some things in Hungarian to me. Edward looked perturbed so I asked him if he spoke Hungarian. He told me he didn't need to speak Hungarian to know what the man was saying. _Probably like Latin._ The waiter also brought me a glass of wine and Edward turned the same color as the wine and forcefully gave it back to the waiter. When the waiter came up and started playing for us, Edward almost blew chili out of his nose. Edward insisted that we girls wait outside in the car while he paid the tab. Through the window I could see Edward pointing his finger at the waiter and he had a mean look on his face. The waiter grinned and shrugged his shoulders. I don't think Edward left a big tip.

Edward was in a lousy mood while we drove back to Milwaukee Avenue, and Esme and Alice whispered and giggled in the back seat. We resumed shopping, stopping only once when Edward bought us all Italian lemonades. By the time we were done the trunk was full and we had packages on our laps and at our feet. I let Alice know that Mrs. Mallory had agreed that she could come over on Friday and she was ecstatic. Esme took some of my packages to store in her refrigerator because there was not going to be enough room in ours. She said she would have to fight Carlisle off to keep him from picking at the ham.

When Edward and I were putting our purchases away, I noticed a rather large bag sitting under the table. I grabbed it and he started mumbling something. Inside there was a beautiful royal blue bedcover with a matching pillow case. I held up the cover and raised my eyebrow.

"It's the same color as the dress you wore to church. You looked…I thought you liked that color."

"Thank you. That was very nice of you."

"You're welcome. Don't ever think that…I don't know. You are going to live here for six months and I want you to be comfortable. You're going to need some warm clothes soon, too. You haven't felt cold until you've spent a winter in Chicago."

"So I've heard."

"After all of …this…Wake is over, you and Alice can go shopping together and get some things."

As much as I didn't want to spend a dime of Edward's money, I knew that I would need warm clothing.

"Alice will really enjoy that."

"So I've noticed."

We both laughed and then went about our tasks.

Things were a whirlwind of activities the Friday. Esme came over early and we had every burner on the stove in use preparing for the Wake. When we had a moment of quiet, I took a chance and told Esme about the conversation I had with Edward about kissing. Esme sat me down and took my hands in hers. She had a small smile on her face and looked me in the eyes.

"Bella, hold on to your chair because what I have to say is going to knock your socks off."

And it did.

_Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God._

Esme had to pull my hands from over my ears when I tried to tune her out because I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"No, really. You're kidding me, right?"

Esme shook her head.

"No. That's the real deal kiddo."

_Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God._

Esme tried her best to explain what happens in the _marriage bed_, but I still had trouble picturing it. Of course I had seen the male anatomy. The boys I'd skinny dipping at First Beach came to mind, so it kind of made sense. Although it was really embarrassing knowing how ignorant I had been _and what a fool I made of myself in front Edward_, I was so grateful to finally know the truth.

Later on, I was peeling a carrot, and I started daydreaming, thinking about the things Esme had told me. The next thing I know Edward was talking to me, but I didn't even hear a word he said. I shook my head to clear the cobwebs. He asked why I was so flushed and got really worried. He put his hand to my forehead and made me lie down on the couch in the parlor. I hadn't had enough wits about me to have put the darn carrot down before he lead me into the other room. When he finally believed that I was just too hot from being in the kitchen I told him I'd get a breath of air outside before resuming cooking. While I was on the porch I threw the carrot to the neighbor's dog.

I couldn't even look at Edward the rest of the day.

When Alice came over, Esme and I gave her the tasks that required the least amount of effort. We made sure that she taste tested everything we made. Alice took it upon herself to gather pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Masen and placed some in each of the downstairs rooms. She moved the furniture around _against my wishes_ to create 'conversation' groups. She found some extra chairs and small tables in the basement, _I made Edward carry them up_, and we put them in the back yard. I don't know what I would have done without Alice's and Esme's help.

After the girls left, I made a nice _fish_ dinner even though the last thing I wanted to do was stink the house up.

Edward and I went into to the parlor to relax before bedtime. I was dragging my feet and tripped over the rug and banged my knee against the coffee table. Edward was instantly concerned but could see right away that it was a minor thing, so he rolled his eyes and said "want me to kiss it and make it better?"

He laughed a bit at his own joke.

Now it was my turn. After that conversation I had with Esme, I knew that telling me the _truth_ was going to mortify Edward. So I spoke up.

"Speaking of kissing, is it _later_ yet?"

That sobered him up real fast. He cleared his throat but when he spoke, his voice came out in a squeak.

"Um, yes, I suppose it is."

He asked me to sit tight for a minute and went into the library. When he returned, he had a glass with some amber liquid in it. He took a sip from his glass and even though he tried to conceal it, I could tell it took his breath away.

"Ok, where do I start? Um, Bella…when a man loves a woman. That is to say when a husband loves his wife—I mean his real wife. The um…Ok, yes, it usually begins with kissing, but that's not how a woman...or man…Um."

I just sat there, looking blank.

"Give me a moment?"

I nodded. He pinched his nose.

_Another sip from the glass._

"I'm ready. Ok. Usually, a husband and wife will do things, like hold hands and kiss, either on the cheeks or lips, or sometimes on the…neck."

As he was saying this his eyes went from my hands, to my cheek, to my lips and then my neck…

"And then they'll hug each other…and then hug…tighter. Maybe the man will run his fingers through his wife's hair."

"And what does the wife do, Edward?"

_Sip._

"Oh, she hugs back, very tight. She may touch her husband's hair—if she wants to that is.'

I nodded for him to continue.

He grabbed the newspaper from the table next to him and began fiddling with it on his lap.

"And then…"

"Well, and then they hug each other, very, very, um, very tight."

"Oh, is that it?"

"Well, no that's not everything, but I don't know if we should talk about this all in one night. We should talk about this in spurts—no not —I mean this is kind of hard—I didn't mean that. I meant that this is really enough for one night, Bella...and it's a really big topic—I mean large—just simply too much to talk about in one sitting. We can talk again later?"

_Bigger sip._

Part of me really just wanted to see Edward suffer through this. Another part wanted to hear someone confirm what Esme had told me since I haven't had much luck relying on what people had said before.

"Sure, Edward. I'm still not sure. Is it ok to give people hugs that aren't too tight?"

He was still holding on to that newspaper as if it was very important, and his face was all red. He nodded and said:

"Light hugging is ok—with other girls and women. Maybe some fatherly type men, but not boys our age—at all."

_Gulp._

"Ok Edward, but I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of hugging tomorrow. You'll watch out for me, won't you?"

"Of course! I mean, just, you know, if you have to hug someone make sure that you're not alone with them, and it's probably best that you don't hug anyone unless I'm in the same room as you."

"I will. But you say kissing is ok, right?"

"No! No kissing. That whole kissing thing you spoke of is probably still good advice, although technically inaccurate, but just the same, no kissing."

He tipped the glass and poured it down to the last drop_._

"I think I got it. Thank you so much for explaining that to me. I can't wait until you tell me the rest."

"Uh-huh."

I walked to the stairway and turned to Edward. "Are you coming to bed?"

"No, no, not yet, I just want to…finish this newspaper before I come up...stairs…upstairs."

_What is with that newspaper?_

"Ok, well sweet dreams Edward."

He nodded, staring off into space.

**A/N: I admit that I'm having a bit of fun at the expense of Bella and Edward, but I can't resist. Your reviews have been so warm and unexpected. Thank you. **


	13. Sacred Ground

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

A story by tumblin' di

**Chapter 13: Sacred Ground**

Before the funeral, Edward and I spoke about how we would explain our sudden marriage. It wasn't an easy thing to talk about. In our situation—getting married so suddenly—people would either assume that it was a shotgun wedding or that we fell in love at first sight. Neither of us wanted to go with telling the truth. We decided to not stray too much from what actually happened so that when I went 'back home' Edward would be able to tell the truth and get on with his life, while saving me the embarrassment of admitting what I had done. Our vague answer would be:

'_We met in the hospital and I decided that I just had to marry Edward so I did.' _

Edward looked so handsome in his black suit. His hands were shaking a bit so I helped him with his collar and tie. I plucked a red carnation from the back yard and put it in his lapel. He wore a pocket watch and fob with _Masen_ engraved on it. His parents had given him the watch on his last birthday. I wore my new black dress and Esme loaned me a little black hat that had a mesh veil which, when lowered, covered my face and came down just above my chin.

Edward and I drove to the cemetery alone together, and I wondered that if I wasn't with him, would he have had to do this all by himself? Was it worse that _I_ was there only person with him? Without thinking first, I reached out to his hand which was sitting on his leg and I gave it a little squeeze, and when I realized what I had done, I went to pull back. He held on to it though until we reached an intersection and he had to remove his hand to shift.

The burial was a somber event as expected. Father Seth said some very nice things. The coffins were simple pine and there was only a small spray of flowers for each of the coffins as there were very few left to buy in the city. Even still, we had more than many others, so we were grateful.

There were over a hundred people at the burial. Not all of them came to the Wake, but there were people at the Wake that weren't at the funeral—mostly younger people. I was so glad that my friends helped me prepare for the onslaught of visitors.

Alice, Esme and I ran our tails off at the Wake. Several other women helped out, making sure that every time someone set a dish down that it was washed so someone else could fill it back up. I was worried that there wouldn't be enough food, but most of the women brought a platter of something delicious—except Mrs. Mallory. I suppose her contribution was Alice.

So many people offered Edward their sincerest sympathy, and I was proud of him for being so mature. I was eternally grateful to Father Seth for pulling this off. Edward _needed_ to give his parents the proper tribute, and the relief was evident in his face.

There were people of all ages and backgrounds. I only knew a few of them but had seen many at church. It seemed that most of Edward's school friends were there, too because there were a lot of people our age.

Edward introduced me to two very nice boys that he had known his entire life and he seemed especially close to them. Emmet McCarty was a strapping young man. He was even taller than Edward and another half times as big, but it was pure muscle. Jasper Whitlock was built like Edward, but he had beautiful curly blondish hair. Where Emmet was like a bull in a china ship, Jasper was the epitome of calm. Edward was somewhere in between, so I guess they kind of rounded out each other. They were both very nice to me. I couldn't tell that Edward had told them about me, but they weren't shocked when we were introduced.

I went around the rooms, listening to stories about the Masens while making sure everyone had food and beverages. Some of Mr. Masen's business associates were in the library smoking pipes and cigars and drinking what appeared to be whiskey or gin. I left that room right away and headed out to the back yard and picked up some trash. When I walked around the garage to throw the trash in the garbage cans, I ran into Edward and Lauren. She had her hands on her hips and Edward was leaning down very close to her.

_Oh God_.

"I'm so sorry, excuse me."

I turned around and went back into the house. Reality hit. I was only pretending to be Edward's wife. He had a sweetheart, and it wasn't me. I didn't belong here. I was nothing but the phony that Edward thought I was. I walked into the pantry, pretending to look for something so no one would see my tears when I suddenly heard a loud crash.

From where I was standing I could see Esme run into the kitchen. Alice was on the floor picking up the broken tea cups she had dropped. Mrs. Mallory came running in and saw what happened. She began yelling and pulled her leg back so she could kick Alice. Just then Dr. Cullen approached her from out of nowhere and pulled her back before her foot could connect with Alice's ribs.

Mrs. Mallory was surprised and then looked around and saw that all eyes were on her. Her demeanor changed immediately. "Oh Alice, don't cut yourself dear. Bella, would you please get her a broom so she doesn't cut her hands?"

Alice was sobbing, grabbing the pieces of glass and placing them in her apron. She kept apologizing to Mrs. Mallory. Esme was on the verge of tears and Dr. Cullen went to her side. Esme turned so no one could see her, but Dr. Cullen was leaning in to hear what she was whispering to him. I grabbed a broom and dustpan from the closet and pulled Alice away so I could sweep up the mess, assuring her that it wasn't important. Dr. Cullen took his wife in his arms when she was done talking to him and his face was fierce. He sat Esme down at the kitchen table and went to Alice. He took her to the sink and washed her hands, checking them for cuts. I grabbed some iodine and some cotton from the bathroom and brought them down. After Dr. Cullen was assured that Alice had no need for stitches, he sat her at the table next to Esme, who took Alice's hands in her own and gently kissed them.

Dr. Cullen looked at Mrs. Mallory and asked where her husband was, then stormed off in search of Mr. Mallory.

About two minutes later, Dr. Cullen and Mr. Mallory walked into the kitchen. Mr. Mallory looked shaken. Dr. Cullen went to Alice and put her hands in his.

"Alice, it would be my honor if you were to come live with my wife and me. We have no children of our own and it would be a privilege if you were to permit us to call you our daughter. Would that be all right with you?"

With tears in her eyes, but a small smile on her face Alice said:

"It came true, my dream came true."

Alice, Esme and Dr. Cullen gathered together in a family embrace. Dr. Cullen was the only one not crying, but his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Mrs. Mallory was having a conniption fit while her husband pushed her out of the room.

"Alice, we can go get your things from the Mallory's. After that, you won't ever have to go into their house again."

"I don't have any things Dr. Cullen."

I spoke up. "What about the pretty dress you got the other day?"

"I'm sorry Bella, it's not…I don't have—"

I rushed to her side_. That witch took her dress from her_!

"It's ok Alice. I'll bet they have another one just like it. We can go shopping next week, ok? Maybe you could find an even prettier one. I'm not just saying that. I promise." She nodded and hugged me.

The Cullen family left out the back door to avoid as many stares as possible. I didn't even realize that Edward had been standing between the kitchen and dining room, and I don't know how much of the altercation he had witnessed. I walked into the pantry and put the broom away. I really didn't want to see Edward right now so I headed back out in the opposite direction. Between what happened with Alice, and my walking in on him and Lauren, I would start blubbering if I were to have to look at him.

I continued picking up and making small talk with our visitors. Rosalie showed up with a very handsome man. He was very flamboyant in his apparel. He was wearing a knee length fur coat and a jovial white brimmed hat. It seemed very out of place. He was a little bit loud and had some kind of snobby accent and Rosalie hung on every word he said. She introduced him as Royce King. Every girl there was vying for his attention. True, he was obviously very rich and had traditional good looks, but he gave me the willies. My father always told me to trust my instincts—_not that I ever have before_—but this time it was very strong.

With the help of some of the neighbor women, I was able to get the food put away and the dishes done about a half hour before dark. The few stragglers were saying their goodbyes, and I was relieved that the day was just about over. I went about the house looking for Edward, hoping I wouldn't find him alone with Lauren again. I found him in the library with Emmet and Jasper. They were drinking his father's scotch and smoking cigars and they their feet up on the desk.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you weren't alone."

"Nah, come on in Mrs. Masen—hey that's weird to say, isn't it." Emmet shot at Edward.

Apparently Emmet knew no bounds.

"Emmet, please just call me Bella."

"Thanks. So Bella, you'll have to introduce me to that fine object d'art."

"You must be talking about Rosalie, and if you haven't noticed, she's taken."

"But not married."

"Emmet, have you no shame?"

"None what-so-ever, Bella, none what-so-ever."

We all laughed at that and then Jasper was serious.

"So what do you think about that Royce guy? I got a bad feeling coming from him."

Edward, on his way to being drunk, piped up:

"Yeah, I know what you mean Jasper. It was as though his thoughts were screaming at me—and they weren't good thoughts."

I nodded in agreement. "You know, I was spooked by him, too. I thought it was just me."

"Well Belly-dancer—"

Edward cut Emmet off with a cough and a nasty look.

"I mean, Bella—"

Emmet looked at Edward for approval and Edward nodded.

"Do you think you could arrange and introduction for me. That guy's got nothing on me."

"Emmet, are you a rake?"

"Yes—but not with her. I'm in love and I'm going to make her my wife."

We all chuckled.

"Laugh if you will, but you can mark my words. That girl will be _mine_."

Jasper cut in now.

"And speaking of girls. That lovely little dark haired angel that was helping you today looked like she could use a strong man to take care of her."

"What do I look like here? Cupid? And I think you've all had enough to drink."

Edward said: "My dear wife, we haven't even started."

I took that as my cue to leave.

"I'm going to finish cleaning and then go to bed. Goodnight gentleman."

"Wait!"

Emmet raised his glass, "To Bella and Edward."

Jasper lifted his glass and said "to Bella and Edward". Jasper and Emmet looked at Edward, waiting for him to follow suit. Without clinking his glass he downed his drink.

I couldn't look up at the boys because I didn't want them to see the tears forming in my eyes, so I quickly left the room and went upstairs.

I had ruined his life. But, no matter how I felt, I hoped that Lauren would still be waiting for him in six months and that I hadn't ruined their relationship, too.

I walked in the pantry and Edward walked in behind me and closed the door. We were alone. It was pitch dark in there. He put his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek. He ran his hands into my hair and pulled me to his chest. I began to get dizzy and I felt a strange sensation in my stomach. He put his hands on either side of my face and I felt his lips gently press into my own. He let out a growl that sounded like it came from a lion, and then he squeezed me tight. Too tight.

"Edward, Edward, that's too tight."

He only pulled me closer yet. I had trouble breathing and I tried to pull away. He began biting at my neck.

"Edward!"

I was startled awake. I've never had a dream like that before in my life. My sheets were twisted about and I was covered in sweat.

My door flew open and Edward pushed the light button on and looked around the room frantically.

"You scared me. Everything ok?"

He was no longer wearing his suit jacket but he still had on the same white shirt and black trousers. His collar was undone and his tie was hanging loosely from his neck. His eyes were bloodshot from drinking. He had a day old beard and his hair was a total mess. _He was so handsome._

"Yes, I was dreaming. Sorry that I startled you."

He was leaning against the wall, with his head tilted, staring at my face and neck. It dawned on me that I was only wearing a nightgown. I gathered my blanket and pulled it up to cover myself. It brought Edward out of his trance and he politely turned away and faced the wall.

"I'm glad you're ok."

Edward was in his trance again. I turned my head to see what he was looking at and realized that we could see each other in the reflection on my dresser's mirror. He pushed himself off the wall, turned the light off and closed the door.

"Goodnight Bella."

"Goodnight Edward."

For the next few days Edward and I avoided each other. Alice and Esme came over every day for tea, or I went to the Cullen's home. I always knew Alice was beautiful, but she just blossomed before my own eyes. She was still very fair skinned, but she started getting a rosy glow to her cheeks and lips.

When I asked Esme how her husband managed to take Alice away from the Mallorys without a fight, she said that although Carlisle would never discuss a patient's treatment with her, he did threaten to tell Mrs. Mallory about a certain "infection" Mr. Mallory had caught. Mr. Mallory didn't put up a fight about letting Alice leave.

Alice had been wearing some clothes that she and Esme had altered to fit her, but they planned shopping on Wednesday and Thursday. I agreed to Wednesday, but even my love for Alice and Esme couldn't make me agree to two days of shopping.

Edward agreed to dropping us off and picking us up on Wednesday. Before we left, he brought me to the library where he wrote out a list of all the cold weather items that I _had_ to buy. He listed some other things that were prudent to buy, too. He also said the he insisted on buying an entire outfit for Alice after what had happened to her in our home and as a thank you for all her help during the Wake. Using a key from his pocket he unlocked the desk drawer and pulled out a tin box. He counted out several ten dollar bills until he reached two hundred dollars and then he handed it to me.

_Is he crazy?_

"Are you crazy? That's enough money to clothe the entire town of Forks for a year!"

"This isn't Forks, Bella. Plus, I want you to purchase some good quality clothing. That's an order and if you don't do as I say I won't be happy. You are my wife regardless of the situation, and you are going to have warm clothes. Are you going to allow someone to accuse me of being a cheapskate to my own wife?"

I was trying to figure a way out of this. I really did not want his money.

"Bella, I am a man who provides for his wife. Do not insult me by refusing."

"No, of course not, Edward. Thank you, it's very kind of you."

When I told Esme and Alice what Edward had _ordered_ me to do, Esme clapped and Alice screamed right there in the middle of the Marshal Fields store. When the sales ladies asked for our names, we were whooshed to the dressing room and given chairs to sit in and tea to drink. They brought in readymade clothes, bolts of fabrics, shoes, boots, handbags, accessories and on and on. My head started spinning so I just handed my list to Alice, who gladly took charge.

In the end, I had several yards of fabric, some patterns, an evening coat, a warm everyday coat, gloves, scarves, and hats for both, shoes to match each outfit, aprons, slips, undergarments, stockings, hair clips, some costume jewelry, a couple fancy hats—I discovered that women were required to cover their heads in a Catholic church, _yet another secret_. Between Alice and me, I wondered how we were going to carry all the bags to the car.

I still had entirely too much money left, but I had a plan for that which I didn't tell the girls about. I was going to buy some new tea cups, but Alice didn't need to be reminded about that.

Alice was excited beyond belief. Esme insisted that Alice wear one of her new outfits home. Alice chose the outfit Edward bought for her. I could see that with never having a single memory of owning anything of her own just how much this shopping trip meant to her, and I was so glad to be a part of it.

We stopped at several other shops, including the camera shop. I had found a box of unexposed film in the library at home, and dropped that off to be developed. We also went to the book store where I purchased a book called _A New Conscience and an Ancient Evil_ which was about the plight of women throughout the world. It was a serious subject, indeed, but women don't protect themselves by staying ignorant.

We met Edward at the agreed upon time and he was pleased to find out that I purchased everything on his list and then some. After we got home and he asked how much money I had left I told him that I spent as much as I could but still had some left over. I quickly told him that I had planned on buying some new tea cups and he accepted my compromise. He told me to just put the leftover money in the teacup on the shelf.

When I put my things away I found a bag of silky undergarments that I hadn't seen while shopping. I thought I accidentally took one of the girls' packages when I found a piece of paper inside that said; _Bella, it is not a mistake, these are yours._

There was a pretty white camisole edged in lace, with dainty little blue bows on the gathered sleeves. It was cut low with a couple of buttons down the front. There were loose fitting matching drawers that came to mid thigh and it had a blue silk drawstring waist. Both pieces left nothing to the imagination. There was also a beautiful white cotton nightgown that really was too thin to be called winter weather wear. It had inch wide straps at the top, and the skirt was full. It had a series of little bows that tied in the front. In addition, there was a blue, curve hugging silk nightgown that came down to my ankles. It had spaghetti straps and the bodice was low enough to see some bosom. _That would never see the light of day—or night—whatever._ It had a matching blue silk robe that tied in the front_. _Thanks_ friends_.

Edward was walking past my room toward the bathroom when he saw me holding the blue nightgown up to look at it. He backed up a couple steps to take a double take. I immediately blushed and shoved the offensive garment into my dresser. When I looked up again, Edward was already gone. I quickly tucked the other garments in the drawer before he returned.

A/N: Thank you for your patience. I have all kinds of unexpected company and it's putting a crimp on my writing. Thanks for keeping with me.


	14. Guessing Games

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

A story by tumblin' di

**Chapter 14: Guessing Games**

The next few days were uneventful. Edward kept his promise and a tutor came over and we had a makeshift classroom in the library. The tutor was incredibly intelligent, and I realized just how much Edward was, too. Edward could be or do anything he wanted to. I'm sure a wife was never in his immediate plans. I imagined that he had planned on going off to college next year.

The weather was turning cooler and I was grateful for the warm clothes Edward had bought me. Being here began to feel _normal_. At night we would light a fire in the parlor. Edward would read the paper and I would read a book or sew. I was becoming accustomed to the rituals at church and I had made a few new friends there and in town. I told Edward how nice the butcher was and Edward said that he noticed that the meat we were getting seemed especially choice. Edward decided to join me on my shopping trips to meet some of the friends I had made.

Edward told me that he, Emmet and Jasper usually went out on Friday nights to spend time together_. I wondered if that included Lauren?_ He suggested that maybe I should have a girls' night on Fridays while he was out.

I sent out invitations to Alice, Esme, Rosalie and Jessica. I made a couple of pies and a pot of coffee. We talked about fashion, boys and men, and even kissing. _Esme and I exchanged knowing smiles_. Esme had purchased some new sheet music and she played a couple of songs on the piano. We sang "_And He'd Say "Oo-La-La Wee-Wee"_ and "_Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here." _

Rosalie had a bottle of sherry hidden in her purse and we all had a small glass, giggling the whole time we sipped. Jessica liked to talk a bit too much, and although a little scatterbrained, she seemed harmless. We all decided that we had so much fun that we would get together every Friday.

It was the next day that things began to change between Edward and I. He no longer stayed in his room all day. He did some chores around the house to get it ready for the colder weather. Once when I was stirring a pot of vegetable soup, he put his hand on my waist and leaned over to smell what I was cooking. I picked up the spoon and blew on it to cool, then put it to his lips to taste. His cheek and hair rubbed against my face and I couldn't help but to lean back into him. His skin felt so good against mine and his lips were so close. I wondered that if we were _really _married would he have turned that extra inch to kiss me?

Later that night, I got up from the couch to retrieve some thread from the sewing basked next to the empty chair. Edward suggested that I start sitting there so I wouldn't have to keep getting up.

In his mother's chair, I felt like I really was Mrs. Masen, spending the evening next to the fire with my husband. I was darning a pair of Edward's socks—w_ith all that money you would think he'd get rid of that ratty old pair_. When I questioned him, he informed me that they were his lucky baseball socks. I told him they would last longer if he only wore them when he wanted to get lucky. I apparently know nothing about lucky baseball socks because he began to snicker at my comment. _Boys_.

The next Friday when the girls came over, an unexpected knock came at the door. Jasper and Emmet both greeted me like they were expected to be there, and then they walked into the foyer. I called Edward down from his room and he led the boys into the parlor. The ladies were surprised when the boys took seats in the room. I took Edward by the arm and brought him back to the foyer.

"What?"

"Why are Jasper and Emmet here?"

"It's my night to have them over. I told you about that, right?"

"Um, no Edward, you did not."

"I'm sure I did."

"Edward,I know that you know that it's more than a coincidence that Rosalie and Alice are here so don't play innocent with me."

He gave me an _I don't know what you're talking about_ look and proceeded back into the parlor.

The girls each had a glass of port wine and the boys sipped on scotch and water as we played charades. Edward pulled _The Jungle book_ . Oh my, Edward looked so scary prowling around the room like a lion. Esme had to shake me to pull me out of my stupor_. _Emmet kept shouting out answers like "Bella is having a baby" and "Edward Masen Junior". _Really, Emmet?_ Edward looked like he was going to punch Emmet until I yelled at him about not breaking anything in the parlor. When it was Emmet's turn, Edward guess was "The tale of two black eyes from Royce King". Rosalie tried to act shocked, but it was obvious that she liked the attention.

After charades, we all went into the music room and I was surprised that Edward played the song that I loved so much at the symphony. He told me it was called Claire de Lune and that it was one of his favorites. I was so entranced by the music that I hadn't even realized that I had sat down on the piano bench next to him. He looked so beautiful and at peace when he played.

We all talked a bit and I found out that Emmet was working at an automobile repair shop on evenings and weekends. He felt that this was going to become a booming business and he wanted to open his own shop eventually. Rosalie was genuinely fascinated by the things Emmet told her and he was equally surprised that Rosalie was able to converse with him about autos. It seems that she even subscribed to _Auto Mechanics Monthly_ _Magazine_.

Alice and Jasper didn't have much to say, they just sat close all evening, shyly taking glimpses of each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Esme had to hold back a grin every time that they did.

After everyone left, Edward and I both headed to bed. I went to the bathroom and took a quick bath and washed my hair. I towel dried it as best as I could and I put on my old cotton nightgown and robe. As I was walking back to my room Edward and I bumped into each other in the hall—literally. We tried passing each other but each of us unsuccessful with figuring which side of the hall to pass on. Finally he put his hands on my shoulders to stop me. Instead of moving to the side, we both stood there. Edward's hands slowly moved to my back, then he stepped closer and one hand was at the small of my back and with the other he combed his fingers through my hair. He leaned in and rubbed his cheek against the top of my head. Then, he tilted my chin up and began looking at my lips. His eyelids were heavy, and I could smell a hint of whiskey on his breath. His thumb trailed down my jaw and softly rubbed my lips. I couldn't breathe and my knees were about to give out on me. Slowly, he leaned closer until his lips were a hair's breath away from my own. I could feel the warmth radiating from him. He touched his lips to mine for just a second and then pulled an inch away. He looked into my eyes for a moment and then leaned in again. First he kissed my top lip, then moved down and kissed the bottom. His lips then rubbed mine slightly from side to side. He wrapped his arm a little tighter around my waist and kissed with just a little more force. I reached my arms up to his neck and pulled him closer, losing my balance and practically falling into him. My fingers took on a mind of their own and I began running them through his hair. It felt like silk and I couldn't get enough. Edward was kissing and releasing, and we were making soft smacking noises. His hand slipped lower and he gave my backside a squeeze and pulled me very close. As he did this he let out a groan.

He immediately pulled himself back and away from me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking at all. Heck, I don't know if I could think at that point if I wanted to. He had a serious look on his face when he smoothed his hair back with his fingers.

"Goodnight Bella." Was all he said before he turned on his heel and went into the bathroom.

The next morning I was hoping that things had changed for the better between us. There was no doubt that I was in love with Edward. When he had kissed me last night I felt like I was on a star falling from the sky. My lips still ached at the loss of his and I wanted more.

For all I did to ruin his life, he was still kind and caring. I hoped beyond hope that he would come to know who I really was and have the same feelings that I did. My stomach was in knots, worrying about it.

Edward came down the stairs smiling, and I hoped it was a good sign that he didn't regret what happened in the hallway. Neither of us mentioned what happened, but we both had a moment when we looked at each other and smiled shyly. Edward came up to me while I was washing the breakfast dishes, and while he was twiddling with a lock of my hair, he suggested that after we did our chores and schoolwork we should take a drive to the beach and take a walk along Lake Michigan.

When we were finished, he put on a jacket and I put on one of my new heavy sweaters and we headed out. It was cool, so the beach was fairly deserted. We bought hot dogs from a cart and ate them as we walked, talking and dodging the waves so our feet wouldn't get wet. The beach ran for miles and we walked until the sun started to set and then we turned around and headed back to the car. The wind had picked up along the shore and I began to shiver. Edward insisted on taking his coat off and giving it to me to wear. It smelled like Edward and I loved it. When we were walking up the steep hill back to the car, Edward took my hand in his and helped me up. He didn't let go of it until he opened the passenger door for me.

Since we were already downtown, Edward drove around, showing me the lights of the city. It was spectacular. There were neon lights all over the buildings. People were coming and going even after dark. There were bars and taverns on every street corner and you could hear everything from jazz to blues to polkas wafting out of their doors. We passed a movie theater where _Tarzan of the Apes_ was playing and the line was a block long. Edward pulled over at a corner and got out for a minute. When he came back he had a bag of hot cashews and we nibbled them as he drove.

When we got home it was very late so we both headed for the staircase as soon as we walked in. Edward stopped me before we went up.

"I hope you had a nice evening?"

"It was one of the best of my life. Thank you for taking me, Edward"

He lifted his hand and hesitated for a moment before reaching up to pull a lock of my hair back. Without giving it a thought, I stepped closer to him and placed my palms on his chest and looked up into his eyes.

"Goodnight Edward."

He gently wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. My hands slid up his chest and around his neck and I stood on my toes. We both leaned in until our lips met. He kissed me sweetly and repeatedly on my lips and then along my jaw. I may have said "jelly" out loud as I was thinking about how my body felt, but I'm not sure.

Just like last time, one of his arms moved to the small of my back and the other to my hair. He began giving me small kisses up and down my neck and I thought I would faint. He suddenly took in a big breath of air and whispered in my ear: "You'd better get to your room. Now."

As I lay in my bed, I realized that I wanted _more_. I wanted to spend every moment of my life in Edward's arms. Without thinking, I threw off my covers and walked to my door. I put my hand on the knob and wondered what I would say if I went to him? I love you? I want you? I need you? I want to be your wife in every way—_except that one, tiny little part Esme said men liked a lot, _ew—everything except _that_.

I leaned my forehead against the door. I had enough courage to go to him, just not enough to handle being rejected. After a moment of deliberation, I went back to my bed alone.

**A/N: I've had several requests, for an EPOV. It's not really what I had planned, but I have a draft of a short chapter with Edward's pov. I'll take a vote, so please let me know your preference. **


	15. Glass Houses

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 15: Glass Houses**

The following day was rainy and miserable. Edward was busy in the basement with the coal delivery men. I had to put a fire on in the parlor to warm the house up until the furnace was ready. It was mid afternoon by the time Edward came upstairs. He was covered in coal dust from head to toe, and he really gave me a fright when he emerged from the basement door. I made him take his shoes off and go straight upstairs to bathe. _Scrubbing that tub was not going to be fun_.

When Edward came downstairs he was wearing a soft cream colored sweater and a pair of grey trousers. He was in his bare feet and his hair was still wet. I became a little dizzy but managed to snap out if_._

"Put something on your feet before you catch your death of cold."

_Oh God, I wished I hadn't said that._

He seemed to understand my mortification and leaned into my ear as I pretended to be busy at the stove.

"It's ok, Bella."

He gave my waist a little squeeze.

"Hey, come here. I have someplace I want to take you."

He grabbed my hand and headed for the foyer.

"You can't go out without shoes and a coat!"

Instead of going out the door, he led me up the stairs. He passed the bedrooms and bathroom. At the end of the second floor hallway was door that I assumed led to the attic. There was a small spiral staircase behind it. Edward swept his hand aside indicating that I should go up. When we reached the top, Edward smiled and opened the next door.

It was dark and dingy and musty. Edward pulled the chain down on the light and I could see boxes, old furniture, and cobwebs filling the room. I looked at him questioningly, and he grinned and grabbed my hand and walked to the end of the room, where yet another door awaited us. I could hear him fiddling with something and then the light came on in the next room.

It was beautiful, like I stepped into summertime. The walls all had trees painted on them and they looked amazingly real. The leaves and limbs of the trees were painted on the slanted dormer walls that led to the ceiling, and it really was like they were branching out and surrounding us. The ceiling was painted a beautiful blue, and wisps of white silk were strategically hanging to resemble fluffy white clouds. The far end of the room was all glass, letting in the natural light. I had never seen anything like it before.

Edward walked toward the window, and in front of it on the floor was a huge hooked rug made out of long green strands of yarn. Throughout the rug were patches of violet and white knitted flowers.

The window overlooked the park. It was breathtaking. The autumn leaves were in full color, unlike Forks were the pine trees were green year round. I felt at peace. We both sat cross legged and facing the window without saying a word to each other.

After a few minutes Edward said "Sometimes I come up here when I need to clear my thoughts. Other than my mother, I've never brought anyone here before."

"It's a perfect place. I could stay here forever."

As beautiful as the scene before me was, I couldn't help turning my head slightly to look at Edward. It seemed that he was growing from a boy into a man right before my very eyes. I remembered the playful boy at the symphony. He was changing. The way he carried himself these days was not like any of the boys I had ever known. It both scared and excited me at the same time.

Edward broke the silence:

"It reminds me of a snow globe."

"Hmm?"

"The scenery—all the leaves floating in the wind. It reminds me of a snow globe"

I looked down at the park. The colors were indescribable. There were yellow, red, brown and green leaves swirling like they had a life of their own.

"Oh. It does. It's funny, but when I was little, I used to look at the figurines inside of the glass. It seemed like there were always people either walking on a path, or taking a sleigh ride. I wondered where they were going and what they were going to do."

He looked a bit pensive. He leaned his head down and put his forehead to mine. _So close_.

"What about you, Bella. If you were in that glass ball, where would you be going?"

I couldn't answer him. I wanted to shout out 'I would be going home to you!'

He gave a little chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"I just remembered something. Come here."

He walked to the other side of the room and opened an old trunk sitting against the wall. There were children's books, a couple of pillows, and an old cigar box inside. He pulled out the cigar box and opened it up. Inside were several of the most hideous little wooden dolls I had ever seen. Some had fangs and were dressed in creepy black capes; some looked like half man, half wolf.

"What in the world are those?"

"My boogey men."

"Oooookaaayyy."

We laughed. "My mom and I made these together. When I was little, I was certain that monsters came in my room while I was sleeping. My mom said that if I kept all the monsters in a box up here, they wouldn't be able to come to my room."

"Your mom was amazing. So, did it work, did they keep the monsters out of your room?"

"Yeah, it did. Well, I guess it did until a certain little monster with long brown hair and the most beautiful eyes in creation moved in."

I realized that I was biting my lip when he looked like he was going to reach down and bite on it, too.

Instead, Edward reached down and removed the pillows from the trunk. We went back to the window and he laid the pillows down in front of it. He stretched out on his stomach, bending his knees and crossing his bare feet at the ankles. He held his head up in his hands and gazed out the window again. I mirrored his position.

There were now a few children outside in the park, flying kites and playing ball. It seemed strange watching the children play and being satisfied with that, instead of yearning to join them.

"So Bella, you didn't answer. Where are you going… after…?"

I shook my head.

"I don't like to think about it?"

"Why is that?"

"I never told you about my family—about my mother."

"I'm listening now."

"It's…complicated."

"I think I can keep up."

I took a deep breath. This wasn't something I liked to think about, let alone admit to Edward.

"My mother divorced my father when I was about seven years old. Things were bad for my mom after we moved out. She had managed to get a job cleaning a store after business hours. When word got out that a divorcee was working at the store, the upstanding women in town refused to shop there, so the store had to dismiss her. The room she was renting at the boarding house told her she had to leave, too. Some children in town had painted horrible words about my mother on the side of the house, and well, they couldn't have that."

Edward looked horrified.

"Edward, you know that divorced women are shunned by society. I think that people don't realize how bad it really is."

He motioned for me to continue.

"My mother decided to leave town and we moved to Arizona. She managed to get jobs cleaning, and with the money my father sent her we had just enough to get by. My mom is a stubborn woman, and refused to lie and say that she was a widow so she wouldn't get hassled. Therefore, we constantly had to move when people discovered the truth, but it was the same everywhere we went.

One night, when she was walking home from her cleaning job, a man attacked her. He told her that everyone knew that divorcees were just 'asking for it'. There was a woman sitting on her porch watching and listening, and she did nothing to help. My mom had putty knife in her bucket that she used to scrape things off the floors with, and she managed to cut the man deeply enough that she was able to get away.

A couple of days later, we had a knock on the door and it was the sheriff. They took my mother away and were going to press charges against her for assaulting a "gentleman". I had heard that the man lied to his wife about how he got injured, so the wife insisted that he file charges. They accused my mother of trying to prostitute herself, and when the man refused my mother's solicitation, my mother attacked him with the intention of stealing his money.

Since my mother had no prior record and was able to prove that she had enough money to support the two of us, they agreed to drop charges if she moved out of town. My mother promptly put me on a train and sent me to live with my father. As much as it hurt her to let me go, she knew that a child should not have to live a life like that.

When I moved back to Forks, the people in town accepted me—as long as my mother wasn't in the picture. Funny thing that the whole time, no one ever did anything but treat my father with sympathy, even though he was divorced, too. Not that I would want that for him, but still, it's strange.

As for your question—what my plans are? Even with what happened to my mother, I will never say that I'm a widow to save my reputation. That would be like saying you're dead, and I will never allow those words to leave my lips again. I suppose I'll take my own name back. I am who I am and that's that."

Edward looked a bit sad and angry. I hoped that he wasn't already starting to think of me as a divorcee.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. For both you and your mother. Neither of you deserved to be treated like that. How…how is your mother doing now?"

"She met a very nice man who loves her for who she is. His name is Phil, and he goes around the country trying to set up organized baseball teams and selling advertising so the teams can be funded. Phil and mom came to Forks about a year ago to visit me. My mother was so much in love, and Phil led her around town like he was the luckiest man on the planet. I'm very happy for her."

"I'm glad for her, too. Do you miss her?"

"Yes. A lot. But, having me around would bring up all kinds of questions, and I don't want that for her. We write letters, although it's difficult with all of her traveling."

Edward was staring down at his hands and whispered "and what about you, Bella? What do you hope for after…?"

"I had thought about becoming a teacher, but with my _status_ I doubt that they would allow me to be around children. I know that I won't be going back to Forks. I wouldn't put my dad through that—seeing his daughter treated that way. I don't know. There's a whole wide world out there and maybe I can find my own place in it."

Edward was unreadable.

"I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry Bella."

I closed my eyes and laid my head down on the pillow.

"You never did anything to be sorry about Edward. I'm the one who made my own choices. I have to live with them."

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes again, the sun was setting. Rays of orange, pink and yellow reflected off Edward's face and hair, making him look ethereal and more gorgeous than I've ever seen him. His head turned toward me on his pillow. He must have been lying there the whole time because he hadn't moved position. He gave me a little smile. After a moment he stood and reached his hand down to help me up.

"Guess I better get dinner started. Thank you for bringing me here."

He nodded and we walked out of his little room went downstairs.

At dinner, Edward was very quiet. I hoped he wasn't thinking badly of me because of my family history. The joyful Edward seemed to have slipped away. During our evening sit in the parlor, Edward just stared into the fire, lost in thought.

Edward left the house early the next morning saying that he had something that needed to be taken care of. When he returned hours later he announced that he wanted to take me to a restaurant for dinner. He had never suggested that before, so I was excited. I wore the blue dress he liked and he wore a handsome three piece suit. We looked like a sweethearts going on a date.

We drove downtown to a restaurant that was dimly lit with drippy candles. It was romantic and cozy. Older people were looking at us and giving us big smiles. Younger girls sitting with their parents were staring at Edward. _Of course_.

I had a delicious mushroom ravioli and he ordered spaghetti and meatballs, but he hardly at a bite. I tried to be lighthearted but couldn't get Edward to snap out of his mood. He ordered us cannoli for dessert and it was delicious. _I have to get that_ _recipe_. After the table was cleared, Edward took my hand in his, rubbing it with his thumb and gazing into my eyes. He talked about things like how to keep the furnace running, where to find the list of repairmen—second drawer on the left in the desk in the library—how to administer first aid. Not at all the kind of conversation I would imagine in a romantic restaurant.

When we got home and walked into the parlor, Edward proceeded to break my heart.

**A/N: First, let me apologize for **_**appearing**_** to not answer your questions or to personally thank you for your reviews (which I adore). I actually did and some of my replies were rather lengthy. Apparently, I cannot simply click 'reply' but have to click a **_**link **_**to reply. Good to know.**

**Yes, we're moving at a fast pace and I'm probably giving everyone whiplash, but the story has a very short timeframe—6 months. And because of the timeframe, I think that what these two are going through; their age and inexperience, the era, and having so few people to talk to, makes their behavior appropriate. At least that's the way I see Edward and Bella. What do you think?**

**xoxo**


	16. Train Wreck

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 16: Train Wreck**

When we returned home, Edward took my wrap and hung it up in the closet. I stood in the foyer, hoping that he would kiss me goodnight as it seemed to me that we had been on a _real_ date.

"Come and sit with me, Bella. I have something that I have to tell you."

Instead of sitting in his usual chair, he sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him.

"Bella, I'm going to be leaving in the morning and I'm not sure…when…I'll be back."

I looked at him, trying to find a smile or some indication that he was just joking. He was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, and staring at the floor. I reached my hand up and touched his shoulder so he would look at me, to be sure that I wasn't imagining what he said. He turned his head and looked into my eyes. He was serious.

He stood and began pacing the floor of the parlor.

"I've enlisted in the Army and I'll be taking a train out first thing in the morning. So many of the soldiers have succumbed to the flu, and they need men. I'm back to good health and I'm going to answer the call to duty."

He stopped pacing and gestured between us.

"Bella, I've tried to do this, but I can't. This situation between us isn't going as expected and I have to leave."

It took me a while to process what he was saying. He's leaving me. He doesn't want to be with me. _Why would he want to be with _me_?_

I tried my best to keep my composure, but inside I was dying. It was like the light inside of my soul flickered out and there was a vast blackness. I just wanted to close my eyes and disappear so he would not see how pathetic I truly am.

I began rambling.

"I…you can't…please don't go. I can leave. I can go back home and come back after the time is up. Maybe Father Seth will change his mind. Don't do this Edward. I'm sorry. Please don't do this."

"It's already done and there's no backing out."

He came back to the couch and sat by my side. He took my hands in his and spoke softly.

"I've written out a few instructions. You'll find them on top of the desk in the library. I've written a letter of credit for you, just show it to any merchant and they will give you whatever you need. I've also notified the bank and you have full access to my accounts."

I tried to take this all in, but his words were just swimming in my mind, none of it making any sense.

"Also, should I…not return, you have been named in my will. You won't ever have to worry. Either way Bella, I'll take care of you. You won't have to scrub anyone else's floor or move from town to town."

That's when I lost all attempts at composure. I began sobbing and couldn't stop. After a while I could barely even hold my head up. Edward pulled me down and laid my head on his lap. He kept saying that I would be alright.

The last thing I remember was Edward brushing the hair out of my face and saying "I have to go now." He stood and placed a small pillow under my head, then leaned down and kissed my forehead, holding his lips there for a long moment. He went upstairs and returned shortly, wearing different clothes and carrying a small satchel. He put his hand on the doorknob and turned his head and gave me one last look.

"Promise me that you'll take care of yourself Bella."

I nodded.

And then he was gone.

I just stared at the doorway.

"_NO"!_

I rushed to the door and threw it open and ran down the steps to the sidewalk. I looked frantically for him but he was nowhere in sight. I managed to go back to the house close the door, but it took all the strength I had to do that much. I fell in a heap on the floor. He left me. _Again._

I don't know how many days I stayed in my bed. It felt like I was in a constant dream state. I thought I had heard the door knock several times but couldn't to get up to answer it. I apparently went downstairs a few times and fixed myself some toast and tea because there were dishes piled up on my night stand.

I wanted Edward back. Even if it meant being with a man who didn't love me in return. _I am such a selfish creature_.

On my way back from a trip to the bathroom, I walked past my own bedroom and went to his door instead. I pushed the door open and my eyes went immediately to the large bed in the center of the room. I walked over and ran my hands over his gold afghan. I pulled the covers back and crawled in and buried my face in his pillows. His scent surrounded me and I breathed it in greedily. So many memories came flooding back; the silky smoothness of his hair under my fingers, the softness of his lips, the feel of his body so close to mine when he held me. I was never going to leave this room.

I don't know what day it was when Esme, Alice and Rosalie broke into the house and found me in Edward's bed.

They asked me where Edward was, which brought on a whole new wave of tears. They gathered around me the bed, holding me and shushing my sobs. As horrible as it sounds, I cried more when I realized that they were contaminating his scent by being on his bed. When I finally was able to contain my tears, I told them that Edward had left for the Army. They assured me that he would be back and not to worry so much. I explained that he left because he couldn't stand to be near me anymore. Of course, being good friends, they insisted that I was mistaken. That was until I told them what he had said to me.

They all knew my story—what a charade I was playing. I had to let them know the truth:

"You see, I'm in love with Edward."

Esme placed her hand on my cheek. "We know, Bella."

"How could you? I never told you?"

Esme responded "There is nothing more obvious than a girl in love, and you my dear, are obvious."

"Then I suppose Edward knows. That's why he left, he doesn't feel the same way."

Rosalie piped up. "Silly girl, when we say _obvious,_ we aren't talking about boys! You have to let them know how you feel about them. Did you _tell_ him how you feel?"

"No, I was afraid."

"Hmm…well let me tell you about Edward. Girls fall all over him—I have absolutely no idea why, but they do. He's completely oblivious to them. But he acts…differently around you. I mean, he always behaves like a gentleman, but it's like he watches out for you. Like you're the only one in the world."

"He's probably watching out so that I don't fall and break everything in his house. And besides, there's Lauren."

Rosalie put her finger to her mouth for a second and then pointed at me.

"You know, I overheard what Mrs. Mallory and Lauren said about him taking her to the social, but something is just not right. I mean, Lauren is just, well, Lauren."

Alice spoke up then.

"Bella, do you remember when we met, and I told you everything was going to be ok? I don't know how or why, but I just know it."

Esme nodded and said "Alice warned me not to pick up a bag of rice the other day, and when I did, the bottom fell out and there was rice all over the kitchen. She also warned me that Mr. Brown was going to short change me at the drugstore, and he did. I'm learning not to bet against Alice."

Rosalie took my hand. "You know Bella, if you really want Edward, we can help. You've got half way decent bone structure and at least a little bit of curves we can work with. Your wardrobe has a lot to be desired, but that's what sewing needles and material are for."

Three sets of eyes were on Rosalie.

"What? What did I say wrong? I'm trying to be nice."

Alice gave a cross look at Rosalie and then turned to me. "I think Bella is perfect just the way she is…or was. Sorry, Bella, but you're quite a fright at the moment.

They forced me into the bathtub to bathe. They combed my hair and refused to let me wear my nightgown and robe, and pulled a dress down over my head. They made me eat. They went down into the basement and put coal in furnace. They threw away the spoiled food from the refrigerator and washed the plates and teacups that had piled up in my room.

Alice and Esme did my shopping, cooked my meals and spent time with me every day. Rosalie didn't coddle me at all. She told me that no one would ever catch her crying over a man. _Like she would ever have to_.

Part of me hoped that the girls would go away and just let me wallow in my misery. The other part of me was appreciative of the way they reminded me of my responsibilities. They insisted that I write just a short note to my father so that he wouldn't worry about me…Mrs. Wolinski had come to clean and I didn't answer the door, and that wasn't fair to her—she needed the money… the milk had been left on the porch and was a beacon for burglars…the trash needed to go out or it would attract vermin…

Each night the girls would wrap my hair up in rags so that in the morning it would be curly. They ironed my dresses for me so that I would look pretty. Rosalie insisted that if Edward was stupid enough not to want me, that I was going to catch the second best man in the city, because Royce was the best and he was already taken. I know she meant well, but there wasn't a chance that I would be looking for another man. _There was no other man_.

I couldn't let them down, so I complied with everything, except going out. At least at home, I could run upstairs to the bathroom and have a quick cry without anyone knowing.

Even though I knew it would be too soon, I checked the mail every day, wishing for a letter that never appeared.

One evening Esme came over alone to have tea with me. She told me that Jasper had been over to dinner the night before, and that he had asked Carlisle for permission to court Alice. Carlisle told Jasper that Alice was much too young for courtship,_ not that anyone was really sure about her age_, but that Jasper was welcome to come by the house when Esme or Carlisle was present. It seems that Alice was on cloud nine, but didn't want to let me know because she was afraid that my pain would intensify. I'll admit, it did tap into my ache a little bit, but the happiness I felt for Alice made up for it.

I realized that as much as I couldn't bear to face the world, the world was still revolving. I would try my best to be a better friend and not let my sorrow show through. What happened to my life was nobody's fault but my own. I couldn't expect someone like Edward to love me, and I was a fool for thinking that my unrealistic feelings to be returned. He tried to love me, like Father Seth told him to do, but I wasn't enough, and never would be. I wished every night that I could cope and the emptiness in my heart would go away, but I woke up crying every morning just the same.


	17. Alone?

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 17: Alone?**

_**WARNING:**_** There is brief reference to attempted assault in this chapter. If reading something of this nature disturbs you, you may want to skip this chapter and go on to the next****. **

On Sunday, I decided to go to church. Maybe the sermon could help me find some reason for what had happened to my life. However, going there was a huge mistake. Everyone came up and asked about Edward. They talked about how awful it was that so many men were dying in Europe. One woman said that some men were choosing European women and not coming back home at all. Lauren was there with her mother and gave me one of her nasty looks. I wanted to scream—just open my mouth and let the agony reverberate throughout the church. Instead, I sat in the farthest pew in back, pulling my babushka forward to hide my face. A very large man sat next to me blocking me from most people's view. _Thank you God._ I had no idea what mass was about, and when it was over I just sat there until I was sure everyone was gone.

"Bella?"

I cringed, not wanting to acknowledge anyone.

"It's me, Father Seth."

He sat down beside me on the pew.

"Things aren't going so well, are they?"

I shook my head as I stared down at the floor.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"He doesn't want me. He left. He joined the army so he wouldn't have to be near me."

"You love him."

"Yes, but it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean, it doesn't matter?"

"He doesn't love me."

"He told you this?"

"Well, he never said 'I don't love you' but he said enough. He kept his promise to you and he really tried, Father."

Father Seth was mulling this over.

"Bella, I'm an ardent believer that God has a plan for all of us. It may not make sense now, but someday it will be perfectly clear. Do you have faith?"

I didn't want to hear this. Who would purposely set out to break my heart irreparably and punish me for trying to do something good?

"Honestly, Father, I'm not too sure right now."

"That's ok. Let me ask you this. Do you have faith in me?"

Did I? He was the one who made Edward and I stay together in a phony marriage. But, he also believed my story about why I married Edward. Father Seth never doubted me. Also, when I came to him about Edward's parents, he promised that he would help, and he did.

"Yes. I do, Father."

He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I want you to go up to the front of the church and light a candle for Edward. Then go in the little chancel off to the side and say a prayer for him. He needs it."

I was a little surprised at Father's request. I don't know what I was expecting him to ask of me, but it wasn't that. It was the first genuine smile that came to my face in a while, so I did as he asked. Not knowing exactly what the candle lighting protocol was, I lit one and just whispered to myself 'for Edward'.

I walked into the alcove and kneeled in front of a statue of Mary. I thought about what I wanted to say to God. What I found is that even though I had so much pain, what I really wanted was for Edward to be safe and unharmed more than anything else. So long as he was able to come back home in one piece, it was all that really mattered. So that's what I prayed for.

On Tuesday, I was aware enough to allow Mrs. Wolinski into the house. I apologized for not letting her in before, and promised that she would be paid no matter what. I made sure to tell her to leave the bedding on in the master bedroom and not send it to the cleaners. While she was cleaning the kitchen, she told me that she had been a widow for quite a few years, and that cleaning was her only income. I asked a few questions, like what were the best ways to find jobs, and what were the expectations of her customers? She informed me that the Masens were especially generous; in addition to her normal rate, they gave her double the amount in the form of a tip. Knowing that Christmas was around the corner, I asked her to be forthright with me and let me know if, and how much of a Christmas bonus they normally gave her. She told me that although it was considered rude of her to talk about it, her situation was such that paying rent and eating was too important for her to worry about impropriety, so she let me know how much she received last year. I was grateful because that amount of money would have never even crossed my mind. My mother had certainly never received a bonus like that.

She sat down at the kitchen table with me for a moment.

"Miss, I rarely butt into the lives of the people I work for, but you seem troubled. I know that Mr. Edward has gone away, and it's normal that you're worried about him, but I can see that there is more going on than just the fact that he's gone to war. Taking care of a family's laundry tells me a lot about them. I hope you're not embarrassed dear."

_Well it was too late for that!_

"Have you told him? How you really feel?"

I shook my head. "How did you know?"

"Well dear, you're not the only wife sleeping in her own room. The difference is that you make all of those delicious meals for your man. Those other women—agh! You never want to smell the horrible odors coming from their kitchens. That's how I know. I can smell the love in your house."

I didn't know what to say, this was all very strange.

"And, like I said, I take care of the laundry. Mr. Edward has certainly been beefing up his wardrobe. He never much cared about what he wore before you showed up."

Of course, I would not have been able to see any changes in Edward, since I didn't know him before. Plus, I could barely get past his face to really notice what he wore.

"When a person gets older, like me, you learn that sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich doesn't help a situation. You might want to start paying attention to your surroundings."

She got up from the table and before she left the room I thanked her. I'm not sure what she meant. I mean, I know what it means to ignore what's going on around you, but how did that relate to Edward and me?

As soon as she left for the day, I ran upstairs to Edward's bed. There was only the smallest trace of his scent left. The thought left me feeling empty.

The tutor came by the next day, and he went over my lessons for the week. Although my heart wasn't into it, I knew that I had to finish high school at least. Perhaps some miracle would happen and having an education may actually be of some use to me in my future. When we were finished, he asked me what I thought about the various battles and strategies going on in The War. I had no idea what was going on over there. He seemed surprised at my lack of knowledge. We didn't have much to say after that so he politely wished me good day and left.

It dawned on me that yet another person saw that I was avoiding the things that had the potential of bringing me back to the real world. I put my coat on and walked to Fullerton Avenue and bought myself a _Chicago Daily News_ from the newsstand.

On my way back, I ran into Royce King. He was very charming, asking how I was doing and if Edward was well. I explained that Edward had enlisted, and that I was just getting a newspaper to check and see how things were progressing over there. He offered to give me a ride home in his very fancy auto, but I declined, saying that it was only a couple of blocks and that I needed the fresh air. He wished me a good day and tipped his hat before he departed.

By the time I got home, I couldn't wait to read the paper. I hadn't a clue as to what was going on in the war, and was disgusted with myself for pretending that it never existed.

It took me a while to catch up on the happenings. I hadn't even realized that it was October 31st _Halloween_. Yesterday, the entire German Navy had mutinied! The Germans had asked for an armistice, but the Allies were still going strong. _ Could this be_? Could this horrible war be coming to an end? Would Edward be coming home soon, safe and sound?

The next page I turned to took every bit of joy right out of me. It was a current list of the names of the dead soldiers who were from Chicago. I knew that the Western Union boy would have brought a telegram if something had happened to Edward. Even still, knowing that didn't relieve my mind until I was sure that his name was not listed on that page. _Thank heavens it wasn't._

Alice and Jasper stopped by later that night. Apparently Rosalie had mailed an invitation to me for her Halloween party, and I had ignored it.

Carlisle had allowed the two of them to go unchaperoned because it was just a block away and there would be a lot of other people present. They looked so adorable together, all dressed up. Jasper was wearing a pirate costume. He had put shoeshine on his face to make it look like he had a scruffy beard, and was wearing an eye patch, a frilly white shirt, and striped stockings that came up to his knees. Alice was a serving wench. She wore a long rose colored dress with ivory lace that fluttered around the bodice and was peeping out from under her skirt.

I offered them some of the cookies I had baked in case any children stopped by. They tried to get me to go to the party, but I was in no mind to mingle. They promised that if it wasn't too late, they would stop by and bring me some treats and tell me about the party afterwards.

A few of the neighbor children stopped by to show off their costumes and I gave them molasses cookies wrapped in paper and tied with string. I waited up until 10 o'clock for Alice and Jasper to stop by, but they never did. Just before midnight there was a loud pounding at the front door. I put my robe on and went downstairs. I opened the door, expecting my friends, but found Royce King and two other men standing there. When I realized who it was, I partially closed the door, and stood behind it, just peeping my head out.

"Royce? Is there something you need?"

"Why yes Miss Bella, I need for you to be an angel and allow me in."

He pushed the door open before I could either shut it or tell him no.

"Come on Bella, we can have oh so much fun tonight. Give us a little treat."

He was stinking drunk and he and his friends had a menacing demeanor.

"I'm sorry Royce, it's late and you'll have to leave."

I tried to walk around them and open the door back up to see them out, but Royce grabbed me by my arms and walked me backwards through the foyer and into the parlor. This was not right. The two men with him were laughing.

"Stop it, Royce! Let go of me! You have to leave!"

"That's just it little girl. I _don't_ have to leave. Your husband left you all alone, and we know how much a new bride needs a man, don't we boys ?"

The other two men got behind me and they all had their hands on me. Royce ripped my robe off and tore at my nightgown. I screamed as loud as I could and began kicking.

Almost immediately, Royce was pulled off of me and the other two let me go. I could hear a Alice screaming at the front door. I was knocked to the floor and I scooted as far away from the melee as I could. Jasper and Emmet were fighting with Royce and the other two men. It was two against three, so I wanted to even the odds. I picked up a poker from the fireplace and landed a few good hits on those horrible men. Nevertheless, they were all still fighting hard when the police showed up. The police then took Royce and his two cohorts outside and put them in a paddy wagon.

Alice went and got Dr. Cullen and Esme. Emmet and Jasper looked like they had just been in a very lively fight, but there were no broken bones or major injuries. Jasper had a busted lip and Emmet's knuckles were pretty badly cut up. I wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of those knuckles.

I couldn't thank the boys enough. The thought of what would have happened if they hadn't been walking home from the party made me nauseous.

Rosalie saw the paddy wagon out front and ran over to make sure everything was ok. Alice and Esme took her aside and explained what happened. She came into the kitchen, crying.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Rosalie, you couldn't have known what he was capable of."

"I don't know how, but I _promise_ you, I will make him _pay_ for what he did."

She hugged me and went home crying.

A detective knocked shortly after that and we sat at the kitchen while I told him what happened. His response shook me to my bones.

He told me that since I opened the door, especially in my night clothes, it would be hard for me to prove that I wasn't a willing participant. He warned me that the Masen name would be all over the papers and we would become social outcasts. I was shocked. He said he would take the report, and file charges if I wanted, but with Royce's money he would probably walk away, while I would become a pariah.

I looked to Esme and Dr. Cullen, but their heads were bowed. It was enough of an indication to confirm what the detective said. _Royce was going to get away with it._

The Cullens brought me to their house, giving me a spare bedroom for as long as I wanted it. They were so kind and caring. Alice slept with me that night, holding me and singing softly. I felt safe.

When I woke up, there was a dress laid out for me. I put it on and went into the kitchen. Alice and Esme had been up for a while, and the kitchen was in full cooking mode. They made all sorts of pastries, sausages, ham and eggs. They had waited for me to come downstairs and join them before they ate. I was ravenous, much to my surprise.

They were hesitant to make any conversation for fear of upsetting me. I told them that I was unharmed, thanks to having such good friends, so I wasn't going to let a monster like Royce decide how to run my life. I went on a tirade of how good it felt to hit him with the poker, and that I'd like nothing better than to be able to give him a few more whacks. However, in truth, I was still afraid of him. What if he came back and there was no one there to save me?

Esme told me that Carlisle refused to allow me to sleep at Edward's house alone, that I was to stay with them until Edward returned. I had to admit that I didn't want to sleep in the house all alone while Royce was still walking free. I did, however, insist that I go there at least once a day to take care of the household duties, and Esme agreed. I did _not_ mention that I had to get a whiff of Edward's pillows on a regular basis.

And so it went. I was now a member of the Cullen household. I did spend a lot of time alone in my room, but everyone gave me privacy and understood my needs. I helped around the house and cooked my fair share of meals. I met with my tutor and did my schoolwork. I did go to Edward's house every day. I really didn't have much to do in the house, but I just wanted to spend as much time there as possible before leaving it forever.

Rosalie came over and told me that she hadn't heard from Royce at all. She had gone to his parent's house looking for him, and they had told her they had not seen him since Halloween night. I hoped that he would never be heard from again.

**A/N: I'm so glad I know what's coming up because I don't like chapters without Edward.**

**I'm amazed at the encouragement and support you have given to me. Thank you so much.**

FYI: A babushka is simply a scarf, a common word in the some of the Chicago neighborhoods. I love that word.


	18. Celebrations

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 18: Celebrations**

**A/N: I want to apologize for the last chapter, it was horrible. I will probably eventually rewrite it, but I really don't even want to look at it right now. I hope this is better.**

On the evening of November 11th, there was a loud commotion in the streets. We ran outside to the front porch to see what was going on. Paper boys were out holding up newspapers and shouting something out. People were scrambling to get their hands on one. Those that had a paper already were jumping up and down, and making all kinds of noise. Neighbors were out on the street, _without proper winter garments on_, and they were hugging each other and some were crying.

Alice ran out to the street and bought a paper from one of the boys. It only took a moment for her to glance at it and then hand it out to me. The headline read:

_The War Is Over!_

I stood there, grasping the paper. My hands were shaking. I couldn't believe what I was reading.

Esme put her hands on my shoulders and Alice wrapped her arms around my waist.

_It's over. He's coming home._

Tears were trailing down my cheeks as they led me back into the house. I was stunned, but the girls were so excited. Esme put the coffee pot on, and Alice filled up a plate of cookies and put them on the table. The two of them started planning a huge meal to celebrate. They were going on and on about dinner and I don't know what else. I could still hear the neighbors outside. I could make out choruses of '_Over There'_ being sung over and over. People were firing guns and setting off firecrackers. I excused myself and went upstairs to my room to get some peace.

I lay in my bed and thought about the implications of this. I was more than happy that the War was over and that Edward and all the men would be coming home. But another part of me knew that this would be the beginning of the end for Edward and me. He already left once because he didn't want to be near me. I had been living in a fantasy world, pretending that I was a war bride waiting for my husband to come home, when I was actually an unwanted visitor waiting to be sent away.

What I wished for was that Edward would walk through the door, sweep me into his arms and kiss me. _Just another phony dream for my phony life. _. I wasn't sure which was worse, having Edward away from me, or having him with me while he was wishing he wasn't?

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, Alice was nudging me awake.

"Come on sleepyhead, dinner is ready."

"Alice, I'm not really hungry."

"We made a really nice dinner to celebrate. I know you you're glad Edward's going to be coming home. I also know you're a little afraid too, but you'll never know for sure what's going on in his mind until he comes back. So, the sooner the better, huh?"

I nodded, not sure if I believed what she was saying.

"I'll be down in a minute."

"Ok. We'll wait for you."

The last thing I wanted to do was go downstairs and face everyone. I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face since my eyes were a little bit puffy. I walked down the stairs feeling like I was facing a firing squad.

The dinner looked especially nice. I took a small helping of each dish, but just moved it around my plate without eating any. The Cullens, although very happy about the current events, didn't make too big of a fuss, for which I was grateful.

After dinner, several neighbors stopped by, either to make sure that everyone was aware of what happened, or just to share their joy. Rosalie came by, and of course, Esme made her have a seat and join us in the kitchen. They began to get all caught up in the celebration and sang a chorus of '_Over There'_. It wasn't long after Rosalie showed up that Jasper and Emmet came knocking on the door, too. They wanted to be the first to tell us the good news, but it was apparent that we already found out.

The boys became serious when they asked how I was doing. I reminded them that because of their actions, I was doing fine. They told me that they had been looking for Royce and hadn't seen him around. They put word out in the neighborhood that if he was spotted, that either Emmet or Jasper would be notified immediately. Rosalie let me know that we lived in a very tight community and if anyone saw Royce anywhere in the neighborhood, he would be sorry he ever lived. Everyone at the table nodded in confirmation. It was good to know that so many people were looking out for me. It made me feel so much better to have such a huge concern lifted off my shoulders.

Alice put an end to the serious talk and presented a cake festooned with little American flags. She made sure everyone took a piece and shooed us out of the kitchen and into the parlor.

When we were all comfortably seated, Dr. Cullen got everyone's attention and then he described what would probably transpire in the near future. He expected that the volunteers who had served in battle the longest would probably be the first to come home. Then, the newer recruits would stay behind and take care of what he referred to as "clean up", which basically means restoring law and order, and making sure there were no renegade enemy soldiers causing trouble. He expected that Edward would be home in two to three months, unless for whatever reason he would be required to stay longer. _Perhaps by his own choice?_

It occurred to me that I may not ever see Edward again. If he didn't return home before the middle of March, I suppose I would just go over to see Father Seth and sign whatever papers were necessary. Afterwards I would be free to leave.

Jasper, Emmet and Rose each gave me a hug goodbye before they left. I watched them out of the window, and saw that the three of them were headed towards Rosalie's house. I'm so glad that they became such good friends.

As weeks went by I read the papers carefully, waiting for word on when the soldiers would be coming home. The paper had indicated that the first wave of boys from Europe should start landing in New York just around Thanksgiving time, but that it would be a slow process. They would be taking trucks, trains, boats and then more trains to get back to their home towns. It could take months.

Thanksgiving came and went, with no word from or about Edward. The trains began carrying soldiers home to Chicago from New York. For the first few days Rosalie, Alice, Esme and I would take trips to welcome the soldiers at the train station. The crowds would sing '_For He's a Jolly Good Fellow_' when the trains rolled in. We would observe the soldiers reuniting with their loved ones. No matter what time of the day, the station was packed with folks cheering the soldiers on. On the days the girls couldn't make it, I would say I was going to take a walk, when instead I would hop on the trolley and go to the station alone. I would sit on the bench, watching and waiting for the boy with the crazy mess of hair, and always going home alone.

On Christmas Eve, I went to church to light another candle for Edward, and I went into the alcove and kneeled and wished him a Merry Christmas. On my way back, I realized that instead of walking to the Cullen's house, I was standing in front of Edward's. I let myself into the quiet dwelling.

A few days earlier I had put some Christmas decorations up inside, trying to remove the memories of what happened when Royce assaulted me. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. However, it made the house feel even emptier now. It was so sad to look at them that I wished I had never done it.

I made my Mecca up to Edward's room to spend time with his pillow. Instead, I passed his room and went end of the hallway and opened the door that led up to the third floor.

Everything was in the same place in Edward's secret room. The two pillows were still on the green rug in front of the window. I could see the indentations from where our heads had lain. Lying down on my stomach, the same as the last time Edward and I had been here, I plunged my face into the inviting white lump. As hard as I tried, I couldn't catch his scent. _All gone_.

I stared out the window. The leaves were gone and replaced with fluffy white snow. I thought about the conversation we had the day he brought me up here.

"_What about you, Bella. If you were in that glass ball, where would you be going?"_

I stayed there, clutching Edward's pillow and staring out the window for as long as I could without worrying Esme and Alice over my absence. When I knew my time was up, I turned and gave the room it one last look before closing the door.

As I walked to the Cullen's, Edwards words came back to me. Where _would_ I be going? I thought about my real future. It was time to start making real plans. I knew that I had to see my father one last time. But from there, I just don't know. Edward had refused for me to give Mr. Jenks' money back to him, insisting that I keep it as a nest egg. It would get me by for several months if I was very careful. Rent for a one bedroom flat should be around five dollars a month, but a boarding house would provide meals.

I could make about three dollars per week cleaning, maybe five or six dollars if I could get a good job as a clerk. There was food and clothing to think about. The clothes that Edward bought me could last for years if I took good care of them. I'm sure he wouldn't want me to leave them behind. The only thing I knew for certain was that I would not accept any money from Edward. He has supported me for much too long as it is.

All too soon I reached the Cullen house. It was decorated with boughs of pine twined together and accented with huge red bows. I had a feeling that this Christmas was going to be unlike any I've had before, and I really wasn't in the mood for it.

I was accustomed to simple Christmases. My mom couldn't afford much, but we never failed to have our own little celebration. We usually had hot cider and big juicy oranges. On the last Christmas we had together, when I was eight, I remember making her a flower out of tissue paper. She had made a new dress for me. When she was at work I took it apart and re-sewed it so it so I would be able to actually wear it. Christmases with my dad were fairly quiet. He gave me extra money so I could buy a big turkey and all of the trimmings for a special dinner. He would always allow me to pick something for myself out from the Sears Roebuck catalog, and that was kind of exciting.

When Christmas morning with the Cullens finally arrived, I realized that I underestimated the enthusiasm of their family. Alice and Esme went overboard on food, decorations and gifts.

The tree was beautiful. There were all kinds of glass bulbs of every shape and color. There were strings of popcorn, and a beautiful lacy angel at the top. Alice placed tiny candles on several of the branches. Carlisle refused to allow Alice to light the candles, saying he didn't want the house burnt down. Alice insisted that it would be fine, but Carlisle would not change his mind. It was pretty nonetheless.

Alice wasn't sure which holiday traditions she liked best, since she had no memory of previous Christmases, so I think she tried her hand at all of them. She insisted that we start the morning with a quick breakfast so we could get on to bigger and better things. When we were done eating, we all went into the parlor. Carlisle said that Santa had been there overnight as he pointed at all of the gifts under the tree. Alice was ecstatic.

Esme and Carlisle made up for every Christmas Alice had missed—literally. They bought Alice a gift for every year of her life and had written numbers one through seventeen on the boxes. _Year 1_ was a soft pink blanket. _Year 5_ was an adorable porcelain doll with big blue eyes and short black hair. It looked just like a miniature Alice. _Year 8_ was a pair of roller skates. _Year 13_ was a lovely silver comb, brush and mirror set. _Year 17_ was a necklace with a cameo of the Cullen family crest.

On each of the gifts I gave, I wrote: _from Edward and Bella_. I had made Dr. Cullen several jars of my grandma Swan's strawberry preserve recipe. If there was one thing I discovered, it was that Carlisle was a jam loving man and took it seriously. He knew that we called him "The Jam Kaiser" behind his back. He made us wait while he grabbed a spoon from the kitchen and took a tiny bite. He made a show of really tasting it. We all laughed so hard I thought I would cry.

For Esme, I had crocheted an angora shawl. The stores had stopped selling angora while the war was on since it was a luxury, and I got my hands on the first batch of yarn they put on the shelves. She seemed very happy with it, saying she would wear it the next time she went somewhere special.

I had taken some money out of the teacup back home and splurged on Alice's gift. I saw a little boutique downtown that had these very modern hats. I was told they were called 'flapper' hats. They were felt and came down over your head almost like a bowl, but fluted out around the rim and just a little bit more in front. There was an inch wide band of shiny black sequins hear the edge. It was so cute and so _Alice_. She jumped up and down after opening the box and refused to remove the hat from her head.

Alice and Esme _tried _to keep their promise of not buying me a bunch of gifts. Nevertheless, I now had enough clothes, hair ribbons and clips, and other such things to last for several Christmases. Alice gave me a gift that said _To Edward and Bella_. She told me not to open it until Edward came home.

_It scared me_.

We had a very nice day, although I had to slip away to my room for a while to hide my tears, telling the family that I was just going to take a nap. I thought about Edward and I wished that he was safe and able to rest and have something good to eat. It bothered me that he was without people who loved him, and I hoped that since he was in the company of other men in his situation that they all would find comfort in each other.

After my pretend nap, I went back downstairs to join the family. Carlisle mentioned Edward when he said grace. He said his thanks for the war ending, for Alice being part of the family and for me being a like a daughter to them, too. It felt so good to be included as family.

Jasper came over after dinner and joined us for dessert, which was a black forest cake that I had made. It was one of Edward's favorites. We all gave Alice and Jasper some private time in the parlor to exchange gifts. They were so obviously in love. The way they looked at each other said everything. Esme told me that she and Alice had secretly purchased material for a wedding gown, even though Jasper hadn't officially proposed yet, it was inevitable.

Once the Christmas holiday was over, it was a pleasure not to have to keep up the appearance of being happy. I went about my days, going to Edward's house or to the train station. New Year's was spent alone in my room. I did not want to celebrate the New Year, knowing what was coming.

Time had such little meaning to me anymore. Some days just flew by, wishing for Edward to come home, and other days dragged on, worrying about the future.

At the end of January and I was the train station, sitting on a bench watching the soldiers disembark. I thought about how much time had passed and that it would only be another month or so before I would be leaving. I would miss The Cullen's terribly. Esme had told me several times that I was considered a member of the family and I would always have a place there. As much as I loved everyone, I couldn't bear the thought of living a block away from Edward, knowing he would eventually remarry and have a real family.

I tried not to think about that and took a look at the people around me. I realized that I wasn't the only person sitting on the benches each day and leaving alone. I recognized the other girls, mothers, daughters, and sisters would sit and wait, too. Once in a while you would hear a shriek of recognition when someone's loved one stepped off of the train. I also noticed that some women would stop showing up at all. I had hoped that they had their happy ending and I just hadn't been there to witness it.

As usual, I waited until the 6:00 train from New York was letting off the last of its passengers. An older woman who I recognized from my days spent at the station, stood up and ran towards a small group of soldiers. A young man with blonde hair scooped her up and held her for a long hug. She was apparently his mother, and she was kissing every inch of his face, which he blissfully endured. This was the best part of my days. I watched their reunion discreetly until someone blocked my view and wouldn't move.

"Bella?"

_It can't be._ I slowly lifted my eyes up at the soldier in front of me. He was wearing an olive green woolen uniform, and a wide brimmed hat which had hid his hair and prevented me from picking him out in the crowd.

"Edward? Edward?"

My heart was beating double time as I stared up at him. The color of his uniform had made the green in his eyes even more vivid. He was ethereal.

"Were you waiting…for me?"

I could only nod.


	19. Trepidation

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 19: Trepidation**

I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought that my memory of how handsome he was had been exaggerated in my mind, but he was even more beautiful than I remembered. In that uniform, he was the epitome of the All-American young man. Norman Rockwell should have painted his image to put on a magazine cover.

He reached down for my hands and pulled me up to stand. He carefully wrapped his arms around me and held me, gently swaying from side to side. His cheek was rubbing the top of my head as I buried my nose into his shoulder, breathing him in. We stayed that way for a long time.

When we finally pulled apart, I couldn't look up at him. I never thought about what would happen if he ever showed up while I was at the station, and I was a bit embarrassed about being caught waiting for him.

He lifted my chin up with the tips of his fingers. When I looked at him I burst out into tears. I was so relieved that he came back, regardless of how he felt about me. He embraced me and clutched me to his chest.

"It'll be ok Bella. I'm back now."

I nodded into his chest, trying to pull myself together and not make a spectacle. He reached down and wiped my tears away. He tucked me into his side with his arm around me, and led us out of the station. He hailed a cab and helped me in. It was a short ride in which I cried the whole way. He kept his arm around me and tried to comfort me.

When we got home we headed for the parlor and sat in our chairs in silence. I don't think either one of us was knew where to begin. It was awkward so I tried to cut the tension.

"You must be weary. Would you like some tea or something to eat?"

He shook his head no.

"How was the trip back?"

"Long."

I nodded.

"Oh, I brought you a present back."

He reached into the duffle bag at his feet and pulled out a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

"I got it for you while I was in Austria."

He had trouble looking at me when he passed it over.

I unwrapped it slowly, trying to extend our time together for as many seconds as I possibly could. It was a snow globe. Inside of the glass ball were a man and woman in the middle of a park like setting. You could see the detail of the fine craftsmanship. _It was exquisite_. The couple were sitting on a bench and holding hands. The woman had long brown hair and was wearing an old fashioned ankle length blue dress. There were a little boy and girl building a snowman. Pine trees were scattered about the landscape.

"It's beautiful Edward. I love it. Thank you. "

"Did you notice that there aren't any sleighs rides or paths? The people inside the bubble are content right where they are. That's what I want for you Bella. I want you to be happy…wherever you are."

I couldn't lift my eyes up for fear that if I looked at him I would start to cry again, so I just nodded. "That's what I want for you, too Edward."

Then I remembered. "Oh, I have a Christmas present for you, too."

I stood and went to the mantle and pulled the package down.

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to. It made me happy to do it."

I had put together a photograph album with pictures that I had found in a box in a closet. If the photo had an inscription on the back, I rewrote it on little white cards and placed them under the pictures.

"The last few pages are pictures that I don't think you've seen before. I found some undeveloped film and brought it to the photo shop. They look recent."

He skipped to the back few pages and spent a long time looking at each picture. He ran a finger across a few of them, sometimes smiling, and sometimes his eyes would tear up. I had the photo shop enlarge and colorize a particularly nice portrait of his parents. I had to describe his parent's eye and hair color to an artist. Esme told me Edward's father's eye color since I had never met him. I had just slipped it in the last page without gluing it so it could be easily removed.

"I thought that one would look nice in a frame."

He nodded and closed the album.

"Thank you, Bella. It's the nicest gift I've ever received."

"You're welcome Edward."

We sat in silence for again, each of us looking down at the gifts in our laps. Finally, Edward stood and looked out of the front window.

"Carlisle told me about…what happened to you on Halloween. He told me that you've been staying at his house since then."

"How?"

"He sent a letter to me through my commander. My commander sent me home since you have no other family here. I owe them both a debt of gratitude."

_I hadn't been aware that Carlisle had done that._

He continued "Did they…hurt you?"

"No, not really. Jasper and Emmet got there before they could…do any harm. "

He turned and looked me straight in the eyes.

"You would tell me if they did, wouldn't you?"

"I swear. They only managed to grab me and tear my nightgown a little bit. I promise."

His face was twisted in anger. He finally calmed down a little, but started pacing the floor.

"Damn it Bella! What I did, leaving you alone, was the most selfish, despicable, unforgivable thing I have ever done in my life, and I'm so sorry that I did that to you. If I live forever, I'll never be able to make it up to you."

He sat on the couch and bent over forward, his hands grasping his hair. His eyes were brimmed with unshed tears.

"Edward, how could you have known? It's not your fault. I drove you out."

"How could I have known? What man leaves a woman all alone? I promise you Bella, you will never have to worry about those men again."

"What do you mean?"

He had a gleam in his eyes.

"I'm going to rip them from limb to limb."

"Don't be crazy Edward! Don't go doing something that will send you to jail."

"Nobody will _ever_ lay a hand on my wife and get away with it. Don't worry; I won't be stupid about it."

Although I was worried about him, what he said, the way he said it, and the look on his face made me feel so safe.

He whispered "Bella, I promise that as long as you want me to, I'll protect you."

"I know you feel responsible for me, but I'm ok now. You don't have to feel any obligation towards me. It won't be much longer anyways."

"It's not obligation Bella."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"So you're staying with the Cullens, hm?"

"Yes, they have been wonderful."

He wasn't looking at me, but he nodded.

"I suppose we should go over and tell them that I've returned. It's getting kind of late and they're probably worried about you."

I don't know why it hurt so much that he didn't ask me to stay with him instead of the Cullens. It wasn't unexpected, but I wanted to be with him just the same.

We walked around the block, me clutching my snow globe for dear life, and Edward with his hand at my elbow, making sure I wouldn't slip on the snow. As we stood before the door of the Cullen's house, Edward paused and turned towards me.

"I missed you Bella."

"I missed you, too Edward. Very much."

When we stepped into the house all heck broke loose. Esme was hugging Edward and crying. Alice was clapping her hands and Carlisle slapped him on the back and welcomed him home.

I sat by Edward's side on the couch in the parlor, using every bit of restraint I had to keep myself from reaching over and touching him. Carlisle asked him about what the conditions were like in Europe. Edward gave fairly vague answers about the buildings being in ruins, and so much artwork had been destroyed… It seemed as though the two of them were using some kind of secret eye signal—like there were things that weren't going to be talked about in front of ladies. It wasn't long before Carlisle stood up and said he had some things to show Edward in his office and the two of them left the room.

As soon as the men left the room, Esme and Alice were on me like vultures. They demanded details about Edward's return, so I told them everything. Esme had to get out a handkerchief to blot her eyes when I told her about meeting him at the station. Alice asked if he kissed me—_no._ I showed them my snow globe but didn't tell them the story behind it. Alice turned the globe over and discovered two things I had missed. The first was the fact that it was a music box. She wound the key and Claire de Lune began to play. Then she pointed to an inscription: _To Isabella Marie Masen from Edward Anthony Masen_.

_Crumb._ I had to start crying all over again.

"What is with him? He runs so hot and cold and I don't know what to think."

Esme responded. "I don't know either, but his whole life has been turned upside down. It's a lot for anyone to take all at once and it's going to take some time. What you need to do is decide if he's worth waiting for?"

"If I had all eternity, I'd wait forever. The problem is that I only have until next month."

Alice piped up: "Bella, you better start trying to win him over. Start flirting a little bit. Hmm…I know! You can begin by giving him the hairy eyeball."

"The what?"

"The hairy eyeball, silly."

She began fluttering her eyelashes. "Boys love it. It's very alluring."

Esme looked aghast. "Alice Cullen!"

"What? Come on, you know that girls should have a few tricks up their sleeves to get a man's attention. Oooh, Bella, I have all kinds of moves for you. Let's see…oh, there's walking so your hips sway just so."

"Thanks Alice, but I have enough trouble walking as it is, I don't need to try anything fancy. I wouldn't mind hearing about some other things—that won't make me trip or anything like that."

"Well, there's the—

We were cut off by Carlisle and Edward coming back into the room.

Edward went to Esme and told her how much he appreciated that she was taking such good care of me. He thanked her for the lovely evening. He gave Alice a hug and said goodnight.

The Cullen family each made their excuses to leave the room so we could be alone.

"I suppose I should be going. It's very late."

I didn't want to say goodnight yet. He just got home for crying out loud. I had to say or do _something_, so I looked up at him while I fluttered my eyelashes and gave him the 'hairy eyeball'.

"Do you have something in your eye? Come over here by the light."

He pulled me over to the light and spread my eyes open with his fingers, looking for a foreign object. _I will never take Alice's advice again! _But, at least he was touching me.

Preferring to have him think that I actually did have something in my eye rather than blundering so badly at flirting, I said: "Um, I think its out."

"Good, good."

He released me and we began walking back towards the door.

"Hey Bella, would it be ok if I came by tomorrow to see you?"

"I would like that. Very, very much."

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. About two?"

"Two is good. I'll be here."

He gave me a little smile and walked out. He looked absolutely exhausted. I yelled down to him "sleep well". He pulled his coat tightly around him and said: "You, too Bella."

I didn't sleep well. A million scenarios about why he wanted to see me tomorrow played in my head. _Did he want to speed up the annulment? Did he find a European girl? Was he going to finally admit his feelings for Lauren? Did he just want to see how I was doing? Did he want to discuss the household finances? _

Then a thought made me sit up and grab my heart. _His sheets haven't been washed in months and they probably smell like me! _How was I going to explain that? Heaven help me—_please_.

I didn't wake up until after nine the next morning. As I was eating breakfast I told the girls that Edward wanted to see me today at two. Alice's eyes just about popped out of her head.

"What are you doing just sitting there?"

"Eating breakfast?"

She wrapped her knuckles on the tabletop. "The clock's a tickin' Bella. We need to get ready."

"For what?"

"Agh, what am I going to do with you? You can't possibly be going to have a visit with him in that dress. We need to buff your nails, fix your hair…

She pulled me up from the table and rushed me up the stairs. She practically threw me on the bed and then headed to my closet.

"Thank goodness we got you some decent clothing for Christmas. Now, we have to make you look real pretty without seeming like you put a lot of effort into it. Hmmm….maybe…no…uh-huh…oh—perfect!"

She pulled out a pretty emerald green dress. It had a halter type bodice, with a matching green lacy material underneath it for modesty. Over the skirt, there was a wispy film of material the fluttered down about midway.

"It's a bit fancy for two in the afternoon, don't you think?"

"No, it's absolutely perfect for tea time. Now you put that on while I go downstairs and heat up the curling tongs on the stove."

It was horrible. She poked and prodded and pulled and tugged, all the while she never stopped talking. She was giving me all kinds of flirting tips. For someone with no memory I had to wonder how she managed to get such an arsenal of womanly wiles. She must think about it day and night. At least it helped pass the time away.

At two o'clock the 'stage' was set. Alice insisted that I sit on the couch with my dress draped 'just so'. There was a plate of sandwiches and a tea tray sitting on the table. They had made me practice pouring beforehand.

The grandfather clock struck two. I had butterflies in my stomach. I looked out the window and saw Edward walk up the steps. It was like he had it perfectly timed. He had a worried look on his face.

Alice let him in, but went to the kitchen to leave us alone. Edward came into the parlor. He had circles under his eyes like he didn't sleep very well—_those darn sheets!_

"Good afternoon, Bella."

He was a bit stiff and formal.

"Hi Edward, please sit down." It seems that I was a bit stiff and formal, too.

He sat on the other end of the couch. He was fiddling with a tiny bouquet of white freesia. He saw that I was staring at his hands.

"Oh, these are for you." He leaned over and handed them to me. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. I put them up to my nose and sniffed. They were heavenly.

"They're beautiful. Thank you." I was glad to have the bouquet in front of my face to hide my grin.

We sat in silence for a minute.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, that sounds great."

I managed to pour it without spilling. I knew he liked two sugars and lots of cream. When I went to hand his cup and saucer over to him, I caught him eyeing the sandwiches.

"Let me get you some sandwiches, you look hungry."

I put a couple of halves on a plate for him. He usually had very good manners but I think he only took about four bites before they were gone. It dawned on me that there was no food in his house and even if there was he wouldn't have any idea on how to cook it.

He thanked me profusely, and began fidgeting.

"Jasper came by this morning."

"That's nice. How did he know you were back? Did you have a good visit?"

"Yes, we did. Word gets around quickly in this neighborhood."

I guess what I was told about the neighbors watching out for each other was true.

Edward continued. "He told me about Alice."

"Mm-hm."

"He also told me there was a new dancing hall opening up on Friday night. He said that he wasn't allowed to take Alice out unchaperoned, and wanted to know if we would be willing to join them and all go to the hall together."

He waited for my answer.

It wasn't like he was asking me out on a date, he just wanted to do a favor for our friends. The thought of dancing made me cringe, but being with Edward for an evening was too much to pass up.

"Who all would be going?"

"Jasper and Alice, I thought about asking Emmet, me and you…if you wanted to?"

"I don't really dance."

"It's all in the leading. You'd be fine."

"I'd probably break your toes."

"I'll wear my steel toed army boots." He grinned widely.

"Will you wear your uniform, too?" _I can't believe I said that!_

We both began to blush.

"Sure."

"Ok then. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun."

"Good."

We sat there in silence while Edward leaned forward, twiddling his thumbs, and I sipped at my tea.

"Edward, was there a reason you wanted to come by? Was there something you needed to tell me?"

He nodded, staring down at his hands. This didn't look like a good sign.

He cleared his throat. "Bella, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ok."

He scooted closer to me.

"Bella, would it be alright if…I…were to…court you?"

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!_

He looked at me, expectantly waiting for my answer.

"What about _Lauren_?"

He blinked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know that you two…that she was your girl."

He looked incredulous.

"Where on earth did you get that idea?"

"She told me that you took her to the church social, and I saw you two arguing at the wake."

He shook his head and gave a cynical laugh.

"My mother had insisted that I go to the social to meet young ladies. As I was walking past Lauren's house, she ran down her steps and walked with me there. Being a gentleman, I escorted her home afterwards. She's not my girl and never has been. At the wake…she had some…unkind things to say about you. That's what we were arguing about."

Now it was my turn to blink. All this time that wretched girl led me to believe that she had a hold on Edward.

"You really thought that I could be interested in a girl like Lauren? She's, well, Lauren for heaven's sake. Besides, I prefer petite brunettes."

He made me smile.

"I'm on pins and needles Bella. Are you going to answer me? Will you give me permission to court you?"

I wasn't going to be coy and pretend to mull it over.

"Yes, Edward. You have my permission to court me."

He reached over and took my hands in his and looked me in the eyes.

"Thank you."

We sat there, holding our hands between us. I wanted to lean forward and kiss him so much that it was painful. He finally lifted my hands up and placed a soft kiss on each one.

"I better not overstay my welcome. I'll be here around seven on Friday. Take care of yourself until then sweetheart."

"You, too."

He smiled at that.

"Oh, wait here a second!" I ran into the kitchen to get some waxed paper so he could take the rest of the sandwiches home and I quickly wrapped them up. He seemed a little hesitant about taking them, but his stomach growled and we both laughed and knew that I had won the argument. I walked him to the door and watched him walk down the sidewalk until he turned the corner.

I went back to the parlor and sat down and promptly began bawling. Esme and Alice came running in. Alice began yelling about giving Edward a piece of her mind and Esme kept saying that she was sorry. I couldn't catch my breath to explain that I was crying from relief and happiness.

"He…wants…to…court…me." I sobbed out.

Alice had been standing with her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. Then she took in what I said. "Oh…that's different then."

**A/N: Wow! I am really amazed at the variety of people that are reading this story. There are readers in 58 countries. I can tell that some readers don't use English as their primary language and your reviews mean even more knowing that you've taken the effort to write. **

**I haven't even started writing the next chapter…I've kind of skipped ahead and began writing the "M" rated portion. **_**What can I say?**_** So it may be a little bit before the next update. **

**xoxo**


	20. Courtship

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 20: Courtship**

Alice furrowed her brows. "So your _husband_ wants to court you?" It was more like a statement.

Esme sighed "I think its just wonderful."

I could not believe this was happening. I replayed it over and over in my head. He was so nervous when he asked permission to court me. _Like I'd say no. _I broke out of my reverie when I remembered about going dancing on Friday night.

"Oh, by the way Alice, Edward asked me if I wanted to go to out dancing this Friday with you and Jasper."

Her mouth popped open. "What did you say to him?"

"Well, I don't really dance…

She began pouting, I felt sorry for teasing her.

…but I said 'yes' anyway."

"Oh my gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you Bella! Oh my, that only leaves 2 days to shop and prepare." Alice went to the roll top desk and pulled out a pen, ink and paper and began making a 'to do' list. Esme reminded Alice that nothing was set in stone until Carlisle gave his approval. Alice waved her off and insisted that he would.

I asked Esme if she would mind if I invited Edward over to dinner tomorrow night, and of course she said yes. I would make sure to fix one of his favorites. Oh, and some fresh bread, too. I guess I was making my own little 'to do' list.

Later on in my room, I had to wonder about what Alice said and why Edward would want to "court" his own wife? Also, if he does have a romantic interest in me, why would he not want me to move back into the house? We are married after all, it's not like it would be improper. He didn't make any sense. I would have to trust Esme's advice and give him time to make up his mind.

The next day the girls begged me to go shopping with them, but I had other things in mind. Even though Edward had said that he would see me Friday, I was sure he wouldn't mind if I fixed him some lunch and brought it over. At least I _hoped_ that he wouldn't mind. I heated up some leftovers from last night's dinner and put it all in a small basket to keep warm. I made sure to brush my teeth and hair before leaving, too. When I knocked on his door, I was a bit worried about what his darn mood would be today.

He acted surprised and bit nervous for just a second, but then smiled and opened the door wide to let me in. I was shocked when I saw Jasper, Emmet, Carlisle and Rosalie sitting in the parlor. They seemed equally surprised to see me, too.

_Rosalie? I thought he said he liked brunettes?_

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

"Don't be silly. They just came over to say 'hi'. They were all just leaving anyway."

He seemed to be giving Carlisle that secret eye signal thingy again. They all practically jumped up from their seats at the same time and nervously said their hellos and goodbyes to me. _What just happened?_

"Why did they leave so suddenly?" I asked when they left.

"Hm? I don't know."

"Hmph. Well, anyway, I brought you some lunch."

He gave me a toothy grin and wiggled his eyebrows. The way he looked at the basket in my hands you would think I was carrying, well, food in Edward's case. He leaned down and kissed my cheek and said "thank you" and snatched the basket from my hands and steered me into the kitchen with him. I watched him in amazement as he oohed and ahed and smacked his lips as he devoured every morsel.

"There are lots of strawberry preserves in the pantry. I expected you to have more leftover biscuits to put the jam on, but…I guess you missed home cooking a lot."

"The food, when I wasn't in the action, was pretty good there, actually. But they don't cook like you do."

I blushed a little. "Oh, would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

"Hell yes! Oh, sorry about that, I mean yes, I'd like that very much."

_Apparently he picked up some colorful words while he was at war._ I pretended to be shocked, but when he cussed it made me feel all tingly.

"So, I noticed that Emmet was sitting by Rosalie when I came in."

"Yeah, he's got it bad."

"Has she given him any signs that she's interested?"

"Rosalie, are you kidding? No, it's not like Emmet is some fancy rich dandy like—

His eyes widened.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned…"

I was a little shaken by the mention of Royce, but I didn't want him to see how much it affected me. "It's ok. I'm ok."

"It's not ok!" He got up paced the kitchen floor. On his last pass, he kicked the table leg and it broke in half. His plate and cup slid off and shattered on the floor, making a horrible racket. I was frightened for a moment, but then got up and started to pick up the pieces of glass. Edward gently pulled me up by my shoulders.

"No, leave that for me. I'm sorry if I upset you. Come on, let me walk you back to the Cullen's."

He helped me put my coat on and made sure my scarf was wrapped securely around my neck and that my hat was covering my ears. He gave me his arm to make sure I wouldn't slip on the snow covered sidewalks. When we got to the curb, he made me wait for him to jump over the puddle of slush and then he picked me up by my waist and lifted me over it.

I invited him to come in, but he declined, saying he had a lot of business to catch up on, but he would be over later for dinner. He apologized again for making a scene in the kitchen. I assured him that he shouldn't worry about it. I was fiddling with the lapels of his coat and he wrapped his gloved hands in mine and leaned down to kiss me on my forehead. He waited until I was inside the foyer before heading down the steps. "I'll be back in a couple of hours." I smiled at the thought.

Dinner was absolutely wonderful. We talked about all the foods that were reappearing in the market now that war was over. How the manufacturing plants were making radios, saying that people would be able to listen to live music in their own parlors within the next couple of years. I couldn't visualize what something like that looked like and how it would work, but it sounded fascinating. Everyone in the room was happy and looking forward to a better year.

We all adjourned to the parlor for dessert after dinner. I had found a notebook that belonged to Edward's mother and there was a recipe for apple strudel. It didn't have exact measurements, but I attempted making it. When I carried the tray in, I softly announced that it was Mrs. Masen's recipe and I hoped that I did it justice. I watched discreetly as Edward took his first bite. He closed his eyes, and I was afraid that he wouldn't like it. He slowly opened his eyes back up and was looking directly at me. He smiled and put his hand to his heart. _Just like he did the first time I saw him at the symphony._

Alice was a master at getting Carlisle to agree to let her to go dancing with us. It was kind of funny that since we were all basically the same age, Carlisle asked Edward to assure that Alice would be watched over. Edward agreed and said that Emmet was going to tag along, so she would never be alone. On hearing this, Alice and I schemed to get Rosalie to join us. We invited Esme and Carlisle to go with, but they said no, stating that they would find something to keep themselves busy. Before he left, Edward invited me to have Chinese for lunch with him the next day. I'd never tasted a dish called _Chinese,_ but I was willing to try it.

Edward picked me up in his car the next day, and brought me to a _Chinese_ restaurant. He ordered chop suey for me and it was different, but good. I tried to get the waiter to tell me what the various ingredients were, but he just smiled and said "Yes, yes". When we were done, the waiter packed up our leftovers in cute little boxes so we could take it home. While walking out, Edward tried to get me to go ice skating with him in Humboldt Park, but there was no way I was going to strap sharp blades on my feet and walk on ice. _Was he suicidal?_

Instead, we walked up and down Milwaukee Avenue arm in arm. He stopped and bought me some chocolate bars. I stopped and bought him some ham and cheese to keep in the refrigerator. While we were waiting for the butcher to slice the ham, Edward ran out of the shop telling me to stay put. I waited several minutes, looking out of the window to see where he had rushed to. I finally saw him sprinting back to the shop. His face looked as angry as the devil himself. When he walked in, I asked what happened.

"I just thought I saw someone I knew."

"You don't look very happy about it."

"Eh, it's not important. Come on, let's get on home."

We drove home and Edward seemed happy enough so I let it drop. He told me not to worry about bringing him lunch tomorrow, that he'd see me tomorrow night and we would eat dinner then. He opened my car door and helped me out, taking my arm as he walked me up the steps, again giving me a little peck on my forehead. I grabbed his lapels and pulled him towards me. I stood on my tiptoes and put my lips to his. He pulled away and looked around to make sure no one was watching. He wrapped me in his arms, hiding me from anyone's view. First he kissed my bottom lip, then my top lip, then both at the same time, then he pulled back and helped me regain my balance before letting me go. He made sure I was inside before leaving, but I watched him out of the window as he was walking away. He bounded down the steps and took off in his auto lickety-split.

My lips were still tingling when I joined the girls in the kitchen.

The inside of the house was a flurry of activities the next day. It was Alice and Jasper's first real date and she was in frenzy. I stayed as far away from her as I could, but she managed to find me just the same. When I told her that I was going to wear my blue dress she said it sounded perfect, and I had to wonder if she hadn't gone crazy because she didn't argue with me. When I pulled the dress out of the closet, I found out why. She had shortened both the hem and neckline, put lace in places I would have never thought of, and added a sash around the waist. I admit, it enhanced my figure quite a bit and it wasn't too short or low cut, so I wore it. When she put a dab of lipstick on my mouth, I felt odd, but it wasn't too much of a difference. She also insisted that she line my eyes with a smoky gray pencil saying that the dim lighting would wash my features out and this would help. As I looked in the mirror, it was like seeing an older, more mature version of me. I kind of liked it and hoped Edward would, too.

Edward and Jasper showed up precisely at seven. I almost melted when I saw Edward in his uniform. _He knew it, too. _He lifted up his eyebrow and winked at me. _Smug little_… He opened a box that was in his hands and pulled out a pretty corsage—freesia again—and proceeded to pin it to my dress. He had to slip his fingers under the material to pin it on and I felt like an electric current was coursing from his skin onto my own. Leaning closer, he whispered "You are absolutely stunning" in my ear. I shivered.

I was shocked to see Alice come downstairs wearing her coat. I had fully expected some kind of grand entrance of showing off her new dress. Jasper, looking quite handsome in his three piece suit, was entranced just the same. Carlisle had a camera and tripod already set up to take our photographs. We took one as a group and Alice insisted on keeping her coat on, saying she would wrinkle her dress with all the movement. When Carlisle had Edward and I pose for our individual photo, Esme told us to look at each other, not the camera. Edward looked at me like he was going to kiss me, and I was wishing that he would.

Emmet had been waiting in Edward's car, and Alice and I walked up the couple of houses to Rosalie's. She didn't know Emmet was going to be going with us. When we got to the car, Rosalie huffed when she saw him. She very nearly cursed when she realized that the only way we would all fit was if she sat on Emmet's lap. She huffed and complained that if she hadn't spent hours getting ready she wouldn't be doing this. Alice and I exchanged smiles.

So, I was expecting a dance hall. The _Green Mill_ was as big as a city block and had a huge windmill on top of the building. It was bustling with all sorts of people dressed in anything from work clothing to furs. There were several rooms and Edward had reserved a table for us in the _Tango Room_. The tables were covered with white linen cloths, and each table had a bud vase with a rose, and a lit candle on it. There was a stage with instruments set up, and a dance floor in front of it. Edward whispered to the waiter and handed something to him. I'm guessing it was money judging by the waiter's smile.

Edward removed my coat and Jasper removed Alice's. I almost died when I saw that her dress was backless! Edward's mouth almost dropped to the floor.

"I have half a mind to take you back home."

Alice looked a bit scared of Edward, but quickly composed herself.

"Edward, I'm aware that you don't know a thing about fashion, so I'm going to ignore your remark and wait for you to tell me how nice I look."

Edward wasn't buying it.

"If Carlisle finds out, you are taking all the blame. And you do look nice, considering."

The waiter came back and took our drink order from Edward. He ordered Gin Cocktails for himself and Emmet, Pink Ladies for me and Rosalie, and Coca Cola's for Jasper and Alice. When they tried to argue, he just lifted his eyebrow and they both buttoned their lips. When it was time to order our meals, Edward got lobster and I got stuffed flounder since it was Friday and we had the no meat rule. The flounder was soooo good.

I noticed that every woman in the room noticed the men at our table—especially Edward…wearing that uniform and all I'm sure they couldn't help it. He never looked at any girl except me…and of course Alice and Rosalie when they talked to him…but not the same way he looked at me.

We were just finishing our meal when the lights dimmed and the orchestra members walked on stage. There was a woman wearing a sparkling red dress. Her hair was cut very short and curled onto her cheeks, and her eyes were dark with heavy makeup, but she looked spectacular. All of the sudden the room was assaulted with loud, rhythmic piano and bass. Honestly, I was expecting waltz music, not jazz. The room was on fire with excitement. Couples were getting up to dance in ways I had never seen before. Everyone else at the table was grinning and tapping their toes and fingers to the music. Jasper jumped up and grabbed Alice's hand and they went off to the dance floor. Emmet offered his hand to Rosalie, and she acted like she was thinking about it. She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, but eventually gave in. Edward took my hand but I shook my head.

"You don't want to dance?"

"I can't…I don't…"

"It's ok, we can watch and listen. If they play a slower song, may I have one dance with you?"

I felt so bad that he was enjoying the music so much and was stuck at the table with me.

"You can dance with someone else, I won't mind."

He looked sweetly down at me.

"The reason I'm here is to be with _you_. Nothing else."

"Alright. One dance…a slow one."

He scooted his chair closer to me and draped his arm on the backrest. We sipped on our drinks and watched everyone dance. Alice looked amazing. How in heaven's name was she able to dance so well but had no memory of her past? It wasn't fair. Rosalie was made for dancing. She was made for everything. That wasn't fair either, and yet, I was the one here with Edward. _It makes no sense_.

When the orchestra took a break, Edward went up to the stage area and talked to the musicians. When he returned, I asked what he said to them.

"I asked them if they would play something a little bit slower. You promised, just one dance."

When the orchestra began to play again, Edward put his hand out to me. I was shaking inside, but I wanted to be as close as possible to him, so I would endure the embarrassment of dancing in public. I put my hand in his and he led me all the way back to the darkest part of the dance floor. He put one hand on my waist and then brought his other up to his chest while still clutching mine. I put my free hand up on his shoulder. The woman in the sparkly red dress began to sing "_You made me love you, I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it…_" The song reverberated around the room and the lyrics were hauntingly eerie in just how true they were.

Edward began to move slowly and he managed to take me along with him with very little effort. He was gazing down at me with a misty look in his eyes and I was mesmerized by them. We swayed about and my hand moved of its own volition from Edward's shoulder to the nape of his neck. Edward pulled me closer to him so our chests were now touching. He leaned down to my ear and said "Bella, I—

"Excuse me young man, you'll need to dance appropriately or leave."

A thin little man with a bald head was wagging his finger at Edward and me. Edward stopped dancing and got a scowl on his face as he pinched his nose with his thumb and finger.

"Fine."

We resumed dancing, keeping an approved distance from each other. When the song was over the orchestra played another slow song, and Edward tried to keep me dancing, but I already pushed my luck and made it through one song without killing anybody so I called it quits.

We listened to a few more songs and Edward announced that it was almost midnight and he promised Carlisle we wouldn't come home too late. When he got in his auto, Rosalie didn't put up a fuss about sitting on Emmet's lap. I even caught her smiling a time or two on the ride back home. We dropped Emmet off first, then Rose. When we pulled up to the Cullen's house, Edward told Jasper that he and I would be a minute, that we had something to 'talk' about. After they exited the car, Edward leaned over and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I hope you had a nice evening."

"I did, but I guess I'm a lot like you, I just like spending time with you, wherever we are."

"Bella, would you come over tomorrow? I really would like to talk to you. Maybe around noon? I can make lunch."

"I wouldn't miss seeing you make lunch for anything in the world."

We both chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I have all kinds of secret talents."

Then he put his palm to my face and kissed me. Over and over. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He suddenly stuck the tip of his tongue out and flicked it against my lips! _Oh my heavens!_ My door suddenly swung open and I almost fell out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Jasper yelled out. He righted me and helped me out of the auto. Edward jumped out and gave Jasper a dirty look. As he led me up the steps he said "amateur" over his shoulder. At the door he told me he would see me tomorrow and he took off back down the porch steps. Alice was waiting in the foyer and she had tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"He kissed me. It was the most beautiful, sweetest, most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me."

_Hmph. I had a pretty wonderful kissing thing going on until Jasper interrupted. _

I gave her a hug and told her how happy I was for her. She was in a daze when she went upstairs to her bedroom. I was a bit heady from what happened in Edward's auto. _What was that_? Was he tasting me? Whatever it was, it took my breath away. I licked my lips because I wanted to taste him, too. I walked upstairs in a daze as well.

**A/N: There's a video on YouTube with Judy Garland singing "**_**You Made Me Love You"**_** and it is absolutely PERFECT for this story. .com/watch?v=KbkrzJjoC5Y**

**There are some old fashioned pictures in it that are so nice, too. As I was doing my research, I found out that this song was indeed popular in 1919 and I couldn't be happier. **

**It the above link doesn't take when I post the story, I'll add the address to my profile.**


	21. Absolutions

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 21: Absolutions**

I took my time getting ready for lunch with Edward. My head was still a bit woozy from that kiss last night, not to mention the lack of sleep it caused. I didn't dress up fancy or anything, but I made sure my hair was freshly washed and that I used extra tooth powder to make my mouth minty fresh—just in case he wanted to taste my lips again.

It was bitter cold and snowy outside, so I bundled up and put on my furry boots. When I had went on my winter wardrobe shopping excursion Alice had insisted that I would need them, and she was right. Chicago in February was cold enough to chill a person to their very bones.

Edward seemed very happy to see me, and gave me a much too brief kiss hello as soon as I walked into his house. After he helped me with my coat, I realized that I couldn't very well walk through his house with sopping wet boots on, so I slipped them off.

"Are you ready for our picnic?" He asked.

"Picnic? In the dead of winter?" I looked out the window at the snow. It didn't sound too appealing.

"Of course. Allow me, Madame."

He took my hand and led me upstairs. I was kind of worried about where we were headed for a moment, but he steered us toward the end of the hall and up to the third floor. In his secret room there was a big picnic basket and two candles in pretty rose colored glass holders sitting on the green rug. The pillows had been moved from in front of the window and were arranged so we could be seated comfortably while we ate. He began to remove dishes from the basket and I sat down and tucked my feet under my skirt.

"What did you cook for us?"

"Um, let's see…spaghetti…um…bread…a relish tray." Everything looked and smelled wonderful.

"You cooked this yourself, huh?"

"Well, I might have had a little help from Mrs. Volturi." We both laughed.

"Who's Mrs. Volturi?"

"Her husband was a client of my father. They just live a few blocks down and my father brought me over there with him a few times. Her house is always full of loud and boisterous people. Mrs. Volturi told me before that she doesn't allow people to go hungry in her house and I knew she would love to help me out with the food. There's always a big pot of sauce bubbling on her stove and people sitting at the table eating. When I asked her if she could make a picnic lunch for the two of us, tears actually came to her eyes and she started talking in Italian. I don't know what she was saying but she went on and on and her husband started looking uncomfortable and finally got up from the table and pulled her into his arms. Of course, while he was hugging her he was rolling his eyes. It was pretty funny."

"Well it was very thoughtful of you to plan a picnic in the middle of winter. I doubt that people who have been married a long time do that kind of thing."

He just shrugged his shoulders and continued setting up our meal. He pulled a bottle of red wine and two delicate, cut crystal wine glasses out of the basket and poured a glass for each of us. Then he dished the food out on our plates and lit the candles. I was really impressed with how thoughtful Edward had been. The heat from the house collected in the attic, and it felt like we really were on a picnic in the middle of summer. Everything was just perfect.

"Mm, this spaghetti is delicious. I've never had a sauce quite like it."

"Mrs. Volturi puts wine in just about everything she cooks."

"That's unusual. Do you know why?"

"If you were married to her husband Aro, you would put wine in everything, too. You can gauge her mood by how much wine is in the sauce."

I laughed "Oh, is he an ogre?"

"Let's just say he was my father's client for a reason."

We talked about Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmet, and all kinds of silly things as we ate lunch. We both agreed that all of the food was tasty. Mrs. Volturi really has a gift. I was delighted when Edward pulled out two canollis from the basket for dessert. They were amazing. What was even more amazing was how Edward looked when he ate his. I don't know why, but I could have watched him eating it all day and not gotten bored. We were done much too soon and Edward picked everything up and put the dishes back in the basket_._

I stretched my legs out in front of me and leaned against the window, looking down on the park. The snow was coming down pretty good now and it was so white and picturesque. Smoke was billowing from the chimneys across the park, children were making snow angels, and horses pulling carriages were trotting down the street. I turned to say something to Edward and saw that he was looking at me much like he did that first day we laid eyes on each other at the symphony. He made me feel like I was beautiful.

"Thank you for the picnic Edward, it was lovely."

He gave me what looked like a forced smile and looked down. I saw that he was twisting one of the blue yarn flowers on the carpet with his fingers.

"Bella, I wanted to talk to you about something that's been bothering me for a long time."

I wasn't sure I wanted to hear this. I began to fiddle with the matchbook that he used to light the candles with. The gold lettering stood out on the otherwise plain black matchbook and it read _Volturi Bros. Consultants_. He gently took them from my hands to get my attention.

"It's about my behavior since you've been here. It's been atrocious. There is a lot I haven't explained to you, and I should have."

I was suddenly very afraid. I was going to argue with him about the fact that I was responsible for his behavior, but something more pressing jumped into my head.

"You're not leaving again, are you?"

"No. Bella, no. I won't ever leave you again…as long as you want me." He ran his hand through his hair and exhaled a long breath. "I suppose that's where I should start…the reason I left."

I suddenly wanted to cry. I didn't want to hear why he left me.

"Edward…"

"Please Bella. I have to say this. When we were up here last time, you told me about your mother, how life was very hard for her because she was divorced. Do you remember?"

I nodded.

"I realized that you were facing that life, too. I can't imagine how frightening it is for a young woman to have to bear. It's scary, isn't it?"

I shrugged my shoulders. It wasn't easy to admit that I was afraid. I could endure that life, but it was not a pleasant future to be sure.

He continued. "Then I wondered if you were returning my affections only because being with _me_ was a less horrible future than being divorced."

"What?"

"I felt like…I was taking advantage of your situation. You were practically a prisoner in my house, and I was forcing my affections on you. It wasn't right, and I'm so sorry."

"Do you really think that Edward? How could you think that?"

"Because that's the truth. It's not like you had anyone else to turn to or somewhere else to go. I'm ashamed of what I did to you. Of the position I put you in—having to chose between me or a life of misery." He suddenly got quiet.

"You thought I only returned your affection because I was afraid of being divorced?"

"Bella, I know you didn't have a scheme or anything like that. I know that you aren't that kind of girl. I just thought that you were trying to keep your promise to Father Seth and…love me like he told you to. That's why I left. I wanted to keep you for my own so badly and I couldn't keep away from you. It was the only option that would ensure that you would be able to get an annulment instead of a divorce. That way, you would be able to say honestly that you were never really married. You would be able to have your pick of suitors, as a beautiful girl like you is supposed to have."

He looked so forlorn and lost.

"Bella, I love you so much that I lost sight of the man I always tried to be. Will you ever be able to forgive me?"

"You love me?"

"I love you utterly and completely."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I thought my heart would pound right out of my chest and I was sure Edward could hear it. _He loves me_.

Edward spoke again. "Even when I was sick, I had a dream about you. I dreamt that I was watching you leave the hospital. I knew that if I didn't run after you, I would never see you again. I tried to run, but my feet wouldn't move… the next thing I knew, I woke up in the morgue. When I saw you in my house that night, I was sure that I had actually died and gone to heaven."

I scooted up to his side, facing him. I reached up and put my fingers in his hair and brushed his cheek with my thumb. He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand.

I whispered. "Edward Anthony Masen, I love you so much that there haven't been words created to describe it. If you think for one minute that I returned your affections out of fear or what Father Seth said, you are mistaken. Even if you didn't love me back, I love you enough that just being with you for a few months would make any future that I might have worth it."

He pulled my hand down from his hair and kissed my palm reverently.

"You love me? Truly?"

"Don't you feel it in our kisses? Do you think I could fake that? What about you Edward? Are you saying you love me because you're worried about me? Are you just being kind because you have some sense of obligation towards me?"

His hand reached up and he ran his fingertips down the side of my face. The touch was so sweet I had to bite my lip to keep from letting out a sob.

"It's true; I do feel protective of you, but it's not obligation. That's not why I want, or have to be with you. I only know that it would be easier to stop breathing, than to stop loving you."

"Edward, from the moment I saw you, _you_ were my pick of suitors. There has never been, nor will there ever be, another man for me. It's always been you."

Relief swept through my body and tears rolled down my cheeks. I never thought I would hear the words I heard today. Edward placed little kisses all over my face and between each kiss he would say "I love you." I wanted for him to never stop. I felt like we were inside the show globe right here in this room. That we were that man and woman holding hands on the bench. This is where I was content.

I put my arms around his neck and got lost in the bliss of the kisses peppering my face. He gently laid my head down on a pillow and he began kissing my lips. Some kisses were hard and passion filled, some were soft as feathers. He kissed my jaw and my ear and my neck. Since I couldn't reach his lips, I began to kiss him on the neck, too. His skin there wasn't as soft as his lips, but his scent was concentrated and was intoxicating.

One of his hands went to my waist and his thumb slowly stroked my ribs. I wanted to be closer to him so I bent my knee up and ran my foot down his calf. When he took a nibble on my neck I made some really stupid kind of squeak, but I didn't care. _It felt incredible_. I ran my fingers through his hair and my nails over his scalp, and rubbed his ear with my thumb. I pulled him closer because he loved me and I_ could_. I dared to see how he tasted so stuck the tip of my tongue out and licked him just below his ear. He groaned and grabbed my derrière with his hand and gave it a squeeze. Then he gave my lips a hard kiss and pulled away. His lips were only an inch away from mine and I wanted them closer again.

"I need to get you out of here little lady." His voice was deep and throaty.

He was a complete mess. His hair was every which way from all my tugging on it, his shirt was askew, and his lips were puffy. I could only imagine what kind of state I was in, but I could see that my dress was hiked up to the middle of my thighs and he could see the bows at the clasp of my garters. I suppose that I should have been embarrassed, but I really _liked_ the way he was looking at me. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and slowly smoothed my dress down for me.

"But Edward, we're…married."

He took a deep breath. "Bella, until I actually _say_ the vows, I have no right to…compromise you."

"I've always heard that compromise was good."

He raised an eyebrow at me. _Well I tried_.

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"When did you know…everything?"

"When did I know? Let's see…I wasn't one hundred percent sure, but when I saw you at the symphony I hoped beyond hope that you were _the_ girl for me because even with all those people, it was like you were the only other person there. It felt like you were a star that fell from the heavens and I couldn't believe my good fortune that you landed right in front of me. I don't know for sure exactly when I knew I loved you, but that first night, when you helped me upstairs, I wanted to hold you and never let go."

He closed the gap between our lips and gave me a quick kiss before standing and reaching down to help me get up.

"If you're talking about when I knew you were actually telling the truth about why you married me, it was when you told me you were…with child."

He did everything he could not to laugh out loud—but not enough. I threw my napkin at him and started walking toward the door so he couldn't see how embarrassed I was.

"Well I never…"

He ran up behind me and slipped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his hard chest. He tucked his chin into the crook of my neck. I tried to pull him off of me but his grip never faltered.

His warm breath tickled my ear when he spoke. "When you told me that, I thought you were the sweetest, most beautiful girl I ever met. I knew then that you had me, hook, line and sinker. I also knew then you couldn't tell a lie to save your life." Then he licked my neck just like I had done to him earlier and he winked at me. I shivered.

We went downstairs to the kitchen hand in hand. Edward insisted that he would wash the dishes himself and I advised him that they would need to be soaked beforehand. He walked me back to the Cullen's house and I told him how much I missed him and wanted to be back home with him. He said that he had some things he had to work on before we made any kinds of decisions. He kissed me goodbye on my forehead because, as he put it, my lips were dangerous. He said that he would be busy all evening working on his auto, so I should just stay at Esme's. Carlisle was going to help him and they would probably be up late.

In my room, a million thoughts ran through my mind and all of them revolved around Edward, as usual: How could he possibly not have realized that I was in love with him? _Wasn't I obvious enough? _Was he silly enough to believe that I only wanted him because I was afraid of being divorced? Why can't I just stay at his house? I want him to taste me again. I want to taste him again. Will he ever want to be married in _every_ sense? What's wrong with his car? I hope Mrs. Wolinski washed his sheets by now.

**A/N: I put a 'disclaimer' on chapter 1 for new readers. It says that I had originally published this story with every expectation that NOBODY would ever read it but me, and that it's a first draft. **

**By first draft, I mean that there have been times (obviously) that I've typed with my eyes closed—literally. (I get blinding migraines from computer screens—again I mean that literally—I can't see when I get them). And perhaps there have been times when I've watched Family Guy or Breaking Bad while I type. **

**I finally read chapters 1 and 2 and said, "Oh shit" it looks like the person writing this typed with their eyes closed while talking to their boss on the phone (yep, I do that, too, but it works both ways, he says "are you writing your story while I'm trying to talk to you?"). I digress, but since I never read author's notes, I figure nobody's going to read this so it doesn't matter anyway. **

**My point is that I will eventually go back and edit each chapter. The story will remain the same, it will just be in English-I hope. Speaking of languages, I can't wait until Edward gives Bella French lessons…**

**You guys must be saints for hanging in there with me.**


	22. Intervention

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 22: Intervention**

That evening, Alice and Esme noticed my good mood, but I never mentioned that Edward and I had confessed our love for one another. It was private, and I just wanted to savor the memory of our afternoon all by myself. I did however, tell them about the picnic and how wonderful the food was. They were both all dreamy eyed and agreed that it was a very romantic gesture. When I told them that Mrs. Volturi had made the meal, Esme raised an eyebrow and said "Is that so?"

"You seem kind of surprised."

"Well, yes. I wasn't aware that Edward spent much time with the Volturi's."

"He said that they were his father's clients, and that his father would take him over there from time to time."

Esme got up and poured her full cup of tea down the sink and then went and poured a fresh cup absentmindedly.

"Esme, what's wrong?"

"I just…I just…don't like the thought of Edward being around them. Mr. Volturi is…different. "

"Like an extra eyeball different, or what?"

She added four spoons of sugar to her cup, when she normally only had two sugars. Then I realized that she wasn't kidding around and really was upset.

"Esme, you're scaring me. What is it?"

"He's just not the kind of man you want Edward to be around, that's all. I've only heard rumors, and you know how I feel about unsubstantiated rumors, but just the same, it's better to be safe than sorry."

I knew Esme wouldn't give me any details. She was adamant about not repeating defamatory stories about people.

"Well, I'm sure he just went over to get the food. He went on and on about how much she enjoys feeding people."

Esme cheered up a little after hearing that. "Oh, yes, she cooks quite often for church functions…she likes to put a lot of wine in her foods." "That's exactly what Edward said!" We both had a good laugh at that and she loosened up.

We all sat in the parlor after dinner, except for Carlisle, who had gone over to Edward's to help him work on his car. Since Carlisle wasn't there to listen, Alice went on and on about her first kiss, which had just the right amount of lip pressure…Jasper's lips were a bit cold from being outside, but it made it that much better…his lips were so soft and perfect… Esme and I let her have her moment. Heaven knows they have had to endure all of the commotion in my life without ever complaining, so I could do the same for Alice.

The girls went upstairs to bed while I stayed in the parlor to finish the last few stitches on an apron that I had accidentally torn. I could not get Edward out of my mind. It was such a monumental day for us and I just wanted to hold him. Very, very tight. I knew that I would not be able to do that tonight since Carlisle was there, but I thought it would be fun to watch him work on his car, so I put the sewing away and headed for the door.

I put on my coat and boots, not forgetting my scarf and gloves since Edward would throw a fit if I did, and slipped out of the house. When I went up to the door, a man was just walking out. He had an air about him that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He was scary. He pulled his coat collar up and I could only see his eyes. They were as black as pitch. He walked past me without saying a word. I was sort of dumbfounded for a moment and when I turned to look at him again, it was like he had vanished into thin air.

The front door was still ajar, so I walked in. Edward, Emmet, Carlisle, Jasper and Rosalie were huddled at the kitchen table and every one of them was dressed in black from head to toe. Rosalie had been saying something, but stopped as soon as she saw me. When Edward looked up at me he turned as pale as a ghost and jumped up from his seat. He took me by the arm and quickly led me to the foyer. He grabbed his coat and threw it on and led me outside.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing. You just need to get back to the Cullen's now."

He was walking so fast I could hardly keep up with him.

"Edward, you're squeezing my arm."

He stopped and ran his hand through his hair for a second, and then kissed my forehead. He looked so handsome in the light cast down by the streetlamps.

"I'm sorry, love. You just…need to not be here right now. I told you that I have some unfinished business, and this is not a situation for a lady."

"What about Rosalie?"

"That's…different. She knows a lot about…automobiles, so I need her advice. Besides, those engines can be very dangerous and I don't want you around them."

"I didn't see anyone working on any engines in your kitchen."

If he hadn't been in such a hurry, I'm sure he would have done his usual, dramatic finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose routine.

"Well you don't just go out to the garage and begin pulling the car apart before you fix it. You have to talk about all the troubles you've been having and diagnose problem first—which is what we were doing. _Then_ you can go into the garage and fix it. We'll probably be up most of the night working on it, and I want you to get some sleep."

"Oh. I didn't know you were having trouble with your car until you mentioned it earlier."

"Well, I…don't like to worry you about such things."

"Who was that man coming out of your house?"

"What man?"

"There was a man coming out of your house."

It almost sounded like he cursed under his breath.

"Ah…he was looking for someone else. He had the wrong house."

We walked up the steps and we were standing in front of the door. I was going to ask him something, but he gave me a searing kiss and rubbed my scalp with his fingertips. Mmmmm. Then he whispered, "I hope you dream about me tonight, sweetheart." I forgot what it was I was going to say. I kind of forgot how to talk, so I just went inside and up the stairs to bed. I did dream about him—both before and after I fell asleep.

Carlisle didn't come home until nine the next morning. When I asked him how it went last night he looked at me like I suddenly had horns pop out of my head.

"With Edward's car?" I clarified.

"Oh, yes, it went well, very well. It should be working as good as new now."

"Well you look very tired. You should get some rest."

He agreed and went upstairs to bed after saying a few words to Esme.

I kept myself busy most of the day polishing the silver, figuring Edward would probably be catching up on his sleep. He stopped by in the afternoon and Esme made him stay to have some ham and potatoes for dinner. _Not_ _like she had to twist his arm or anything though_. Edward helped me dry the dishes and clean up the kitchen when we were done eating. When I was putting some things away in the pantry, the door clicked shut and it became dark. I felt Edward's hands on my hips and he leaned into me.

He whispered "I can't stop thinking about yesterday."

My arms snaked up his chest and around his neck. "Me, too."

He didn't say another word, but his lips spoke for him. He held the back of my head and kissed me in earnest. Edward leaned closer and closer to me until I was pinned against the wall. He took my lower lip into his own and pulled it into his mouth, rubbing it with the tip of his tongue. It made me tingle all the way down to my toes. His hands moved from my hair and down my throat to my shoulders, slowly cascading down my sides. When his thumbs skimmed the sides of my bosom, my knees almost gave and I felt like the air was sucked out of the room. I reached into his hair and pulled him even closer. His hand slid down the back of my thigh to my knee, pulling it up around his leg. We both moaned at the same instant, and then he pushed his hip into my belly. I wanted more and was just about to wrap my other leg around him when he let out an oath.

He removed his hands from me and slapped them against the wall on either side of my shoulders. He buried his face into my hair and said "Love, I should not be alone with you."

We were both out of breath and I was as dizzy as could be. There was a hum of electricity flowing through my middle. Never had I felt anything like it. I was glad he was still pinning me to the wall or I would have surely fallen to the floor. He kissed my hair over and over again and said "You're worth anything. Everything."

As much as I didn't want to, we both knew that we couldn't stay in that pantry all evening, so we went out and sat down next to each other in the kitchen. Esme wandered in and took one look at Edward, whose eyes were still as dark as the pantry was a minute ago, and turned on her heels and walked back out. We were both pretty embarrassed about our behavior in Esme's pantry, and tried to help each other look less disheveled. I said that felt like we were monkeys grooming each other. He tickled my waist and we both laughed at our silly antics. He left shortly after that, poking his head into the parlor and saying brief goodnights to everyone, not wanting them to realize what a state he was in. I slipped upstairs to my bedroom immediately after he left, recounting every moment of what happened in the pantry.

Edward and I both had a lot of things to do over the next few days. We had our tutoring and schoolwork, which was very time-consuming. We both liked to finish our assignments for the week as quickly as possible and not wait until the last minute.

Edward was catching up on his accounts, too. He called me into the library and asked where all of my bills were from when he was in Europe. He frowned when I told him that I didn't have anything that I needed to buy, so there were no bills. He had me sit down and have a 'talk' with him about finances.

When he sat in that big leather chair and had such an air of authority about him, it was so hard to concentrate when I couldn't stop staring at him. He said something about him being responsible for me whether I liked it or not, and that he had a very large amount of resources and I should have everything I _need_ plus everything I _want_. I stood up from my chair, walked around the desk and sat in his lap. I told him that I needed and wanted kisses. He told me that I exasperate him, but he obliged. I was beginning to like his financial talks.

Two nights later a police detective rang the Cullen's doorbell. It was the same detective who had questioned me the night Royce and the other two horrible men attacked me. It was upsetting to have him show up at the door, and it brought back memories of that terrible night. He asked if Edward was there, so I led him to the parlor where Edward, Jasper and the Cullen's were having coffee and dessert. I sat on the couch next to Edward, and I was a bundle of nerves. He took my hand in his and held it gently.

While the detective greeted everyone, Carlisle went and retrieved a cushioned chair from the music room for him to sit on. Esme offered him coffee and he seemed glad to accept it. His cheeks were ruddy from being outside in the cold. After the niceties were done, he cleared his throat and proceeded to tell us why he was there.

"It seems that Royce King was taken to the hospital the morning before last. His mother believes there was foul play, so she contacted the police. Mr. King says he was in an automobile accident, but he can't remember what street the accident was on, what car he was driving, or where it is now. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense that he would forget, considering that there's not a single bruise or bump on his noggin." He looked pointedly at Edward. "Don't suppose you happen to know anything about that?'

Edward replied "No, why would I?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because the other two boys who assaulted your wife also wound up in the hospital, too."

Now I was squeezing Edward's hand.

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe it was divine intervention and they were all in the vehicle together?"

"You know, Mr. Masen, perhaps you're right. Perhaps God had a plan to shatter Mr. Royce's kneecaps and leave not one other mark on him. And, I suppose it's possible for the accident to have caused _every_ finger on the other two boys' hands to break, again, not leaving any other marks, cuts, or bruises."

Everyone in the room was silent. I was starting to panic. _Did Edward do this? Was he going to be taken away and put in jail?_ I tugged on Edward's hand and he squeezed it back, but wouldn't take his eyes off of the detective. The detective was taking a sip of his coffee and acted completely at ease, as though he was sitting in his own house talking to his own family. After he had several sips, he began talking again.

"Yes, yes, perhaps it was _coincidence_ that Mr. King's kneecaps were broken by what looked like the work of, oh, I don't know, maybe a former soldier… or surgeon perhaps." Now he turned and looked at Carlisle. "You see, it appears that someone knew exactly how to incapacitate him so he would never be able to cause harm anyone again." Once more, he directed his next question to Edward. "What do _you_ think?"

Edward smiled and shrugged. "Well, maybe Royce fell down on his knees to beg the Good Lord for forgiveness but, you know, I can't imagine that happening….and, perhaps the other two scumbags got caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and the lid came down hard on their fingers?"

The detective blinked, then sipped on his coffee for another minute.

"Hmm…I never thought of that cookie jar theory. So tell me, just for the fun of it, where were you two nights ago Mr. Masen?"

Edward was cool. Very cool. "I was at my home."

"Was there anyone else there with you?"

"Yes, Carlisle was there, and a few of my friends. We were working on my car."

"Really? What was wrong with your car?"

"I had to replace a couple of stuck valves."

"Do you have a receipt for the parts?"

"Of course."

"What time did your friends leave?"

"I'm not sure exactly. It was fairly late. It was a pretty rough job."

"Hm. I suppose it would be."

The detective turned to me. "What about you Mrs. Masen. Can you vouch for your husband?"

I started shaking and I know I was turning bright pink.

"Yes. I was there…with my husband...all night."

The detective rolled his eyes. "Yep, that's what I figured. Just wanted to make sure the story panned out, unless anyone has something else to say?" He looked around the room at everyone. Esme was sitting there with her tea cup and saucer rattling in her shaking hands. Alice had her mouth open and her eyes were bugging out of their sockets. Carlisle was looking as Esme. Jasper was watching everyone. Edward looked like he wanted to go back and do some more damage to Royce, and I was probably as red as a pickled beet.

"Well then, I guess I'll just tell Mrs. King that what Royce said is true, and there's no need to do any kind of official investigation. Sorry to bother you good folks."

The detective placed his cup on the coffee table and stood up.

"Thank you for the coffee, Mrs. Cullen."

Esme couldn't speak.

Edward stood and shook the detective's hand. "If you'll stop by my house tomorrow, I've been meaning to make a donation to the Police Widow's Fund. We happen to be the kind of people who believe in taking care of women."

The detective smiled and nodded.

"Yes, yes, so do I. Thank you Mr. Masen, I will stop by. My former partner left a widow behind. I worry about my wife, too…" He looked down and shook his head at the thought.

He thanked us all for our time and wished us all a good evening. Edward walked the detective to the door, and I don't think anyone exhaled until we heard it click shut. I looked up at Edward when he came back into the room. He stood at the doorway with his eyes closed, shaking his head. Esme stalked up the stairs, and Carlisle followed her. Alice grabbed Jasper and they went into the kitchen. What happened finally hit me like a tidal wave and I began sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. Edward slowly walked over and kneeled before me. He seemed afraid to touch me.

"I'm so sorry Bella. You weren't supposed to know. I went crazy when I heard what he did to you. I couldn't bear the thought of him ever having the chance—

"Did he hurt you? Are you ok? Tell me you're ok!" I grabbed his face and began taking a look at him through my tears, to see if he had any marks. "Did he threaten you or anything like that?"

"Bella, love, I'm fine. Sweetheart, I swear he never touched me."

I pulled him to my chest, kissing the top of his head.

"Do you think you can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes—no—don't you ever do anything like that again. They're bad men and they could have hurt you."

He lifted his head up and looked into my eyes.

"I told you that I wouldn't do anything stupid. I promised you that they'll never bother you again, and now they won't."

"Do you think the detective knew I was lying?"

"Absolutely. But don't worry, Royce won't ever say a word, plus the donation will guarantee that nothing will ever come of it. This is Chicago, after all."

"Oh no. How much is this going to cost you?"

"It won't even put a dent in my bank account at all. Don't you ever listen when we have our financial talks? Besides, we have to work on your charity list anyhow, so this is a good start."

He sat on the couch and pulled me onto his lap. He began talking so sweetly, "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

I fiddled with his tie, and leaned my head onto his shoulder.

"No. You're my hero. Are you sure they won't be back?"

"Royce will only be back if he's crawling and has a death wish, and those other two guys will be leaving town tonight with a very convincing escort. You will never have to worry about them as long as you live."

"When you say 'convincing escort', are you talking about that man who was leaving your house that night?"

"No, I'm not saying anything at all."

"Stay away from him from now on."

"I will."

I began to kiss him all over his face.

"I love you Edward Masen."

"I love you too, Bella Masen."

**A/N I've added a photo album link to my profile. I really like some of the pics I found. Also, if you want to MapQuest Edward's neighborhood, you can just type in: St Sylvester's Church Chicago, IL 60647. . **

**Oh, for those who haven't left any reviews, I've made it easy for you. Just copy and paste. No excuses.**

**I have only one word for you: edit.**

**Aw, I love you too Edward Masen.**

**Why haven't we had any peen yet?**

**You're genius, pure genius.**

**Can you recommend any **_**good**_** stories?**

**I really, really want one of those old fashioned Edwards. **

**Do you want fries with your burger?**

**I like the story, but I'm really getting a bit ticked off at the lack of 'M' substance. Come on!**

**Why do you sometimes write 'auto' and other times write 'car'? (**_**Because I hate writing 'auto').**_

**Why don't you write a story where **_**everyone**_** is a vampire, except Bella?**

**The influenza of 1918 was a government conspiracy.**

**: ) (**_**this one is my favorite**_**)**

**You wrote t o n g u e and I'm reporting you to fanfic. You pervert! **

**I'm so glad Edward and the gang gave Royce a working over.**

**Someone told me this was a BDsm story. What chapter is that on?**

**You live in one of those states where marijuana is legal, don't you?**

**I can't believe you had Edward break Royce's kneecaps. **

**Your story is so sweet; I'm going to let my 10 year old daughter read it. (**_**Uh, you might not want to do that.)**_

**The pantry scene left me feeling….**

**Will Jacob ever be in this story?**

**The pictures were really nice.**

**Can you give us more detail on the fashion back then? (**_**No, I really **_**can't**_**)**_


	23. Knights and Knaves

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 23: Knights and Knaves (**_**He is a **_**man**_**, after all**_**.) **

**A/N: Alright, alright, here's an EPOV. **

Bella's forgiveness was a complete surprise. She was more worried about me, than what I had done. Matter of fact, I think she was _proud_ of me for championing her. _Never expected that_, but I kind of liked the way it felt. I had to admit that the surge of satisfaction made me feel a bit more aggressive than I should.

Bella sat on my lap, kissing me and looking at me with those big brown doe eyes. Then she started going on about moving back home with me. It took every ounce of strength I could summon not to lift her up, carry her home, and toss her in my bed. My hands were itching to show her exactly how I feel about her, but that was out of the question.

According to Carlisle, the _last_ thing I should do is be aggressive around Bella. '_Girls who have been assaulted have a tendency to fear men, even the ones they love. You need to pay strict attention to her moods, and even when you feel like she wants to move forward, you need to rein it in. Small steps, Edward. Small steps_.' I would endeavor to make sure she would never fear me. Good things are worth waiting for.

The most beautiful girl in God's creation adored me and wanted me to take her home and be her _husband_, and the only response I could give her was 'soon'. I either loved her lot, which I did, or I was an utter masochist, which apparently, I am.

However, when she kissed me goodbye at the door, I thought I might punch a hole through the wall with my fist. _Jesus_! She opened my jacket up and wound her arms around my back, then pulled me entirely too close. I could feel her perky nipples through my shirt. _Shit!_ Then she had to go and flick her tongue across my lips. Naturally, I grabbed her rear with _both_ hands and she moaned and wiggled her hips. _Christ!_ I swear to God that if no one was home I would have laid her down right on the foyer floor and pull her skirt up to her waist and slipped inside her. _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! _

I got the hell out of there and went home. This woman was driving me insane. I used to be capable of normal thought. What did she think I was made of—stone? Yeah, I had to whack one off. I'd say a couple of Hail Mary's later on.

The next morning, I went to the Cullen's to apologize for involving Carlisle in my vigilante scheme. Standing in the kitchen with their entire family present, including Bella, I spoke.

"Esme, Alice, I want to apologize for involving Carlisle and Jasper in my plans for Royce. I had no business putting them in that situation. I can understand if you can't forgive me."

Esme's nostrils flared and her lips pursed. Alice was silent, looking at Esme, waiting for her to speak. Finally, I nodded my head, realizing that she was just too angry to say anything, and I went to leave.

"Edward, sit down."

I turned back and did as I was told, taking a seat next to Bella at the kitchen table.

"What you did was dangerous. Any one of you could have been seriously hurt, or worse. Carlisle said you all had meticulously planned and calculated what you were going to do. He explained it to me and well, it was a well thought out plan, I'll admit. However, there are usually wrenches in most every plan. You're lucky it worked out."

"You're absolutely right, Esme."

"Furthermore, Carlisle told me that _he_ insisted on helping you with the scheme and participating in its execution."

She gave him _the look_.

"That said, I'll have you know that the Cullen's stand by their family. As you know, you and Bella are our family, so I wouldn't have had it any other way. Those…monsters got what was coming to them. On the other hand, if you ever do anything that stupid again, I'll hand your head over to you on a plate. Do you understand me?"

This was not what I was expecting.

"Yes ma'am. Really?"

"The least you could have done was warn us so that when the police arrived we would have been prepared with alibis."

She got up and came around the table and behind my chair. I thought she was going to smack my head, but she put her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

"Idiots."

It took every ounce of willpower not to let my emotions get the best of me. It felt really good to have someone call me 'family', even if it was followed with being called an idiot. But I think my mom would have called me the same thing. I had to turn my face away from everyone for a moment while I pulled it together.

The family began chatting away, and Alice pulled out lunchmeats and cheeses for an impromptu snack. I can't remember the last time I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't. I had been too worried that I had ruined my friendship with the Cullens. Bella discreetly entwined her fingers with mine under the table, and leaned in so we were touching shoulders. I did eventually eat a sandwich, only because Bella pouted when I said I didn't want to eat.

Bella wanted me to stay longer, but I had one more apology to make before the night was over. I had to go to church.

It didn't go well, and I had taken the long way home from confession. There really wasn't a long way, so I went in the opposite direction from home so I could cool down a little bit. I was going to be saying my Hail Mary's for twenty-four hours a day for I don't know how long. Father Seth just about reached through the screen of the confessional when I admitted what I had done to Royce. I tried to bring up the Old Testament _eye for an eye_, but he wouldn't have it. Yes, it was a sin. A bad, premeditated sin, although he gave me absolution. I would have gone to hell ten times over if it meant protecting my wife.

What I really wanted was for him to give me some help in the Bella department, but he just encouraged me even more. _Thanks Father_. He mentioned the '_Song of Songs'_, and how God created the opposite sex to be appealing. I told him that my thoughts rarely ever stray from how impossibly delicious she is. Of course I didn't say the word 'delicious' to him, but, _she is_. I couldn't exactly tell him about way her dresses cling to her in the kitchen when she's cooking and it's so hot and steamy. Or when she sits on my lap and starts kissing me, and her hair is right in my face, and she smells so good, but when she starts wiggling around…oh God, I got an erection in a confessional. _I just can't win_.

Father Seth says that I'm supposed to feel that way about her. _In church, Father? I don't think so._ That she is mine, and desiring one's own wife is perfectly normal and even encouraged. _Desire is fine. I desire a good meal. I desire good conversation. But this? This is hell_. We argued about the Sacrament of Marriage, and he says married is married according to the church, sacrament aside, we are still recognized as married. I thought he was supposed to be on _my_ side? He ended it with "That's that." I called it a stalemate.

By the time I got home it was getting dark, and I was surprised to see lights on in the house, but I figured Bella must have let herself in. She knows that confessions on Saturday night usually leave me in a dark mood—_at least since I met her, _and she gives me a little time to unwind before coming over. I would try to be in better spirits for her, but truthfully, I had been through so much the last few days, that I felt off kilter. If she insisted on staying, I'm not too sure I would have said no. Especially after that little pep talk at church.

There was a man standing on my front porch.

"Edward Masen?"

"Yes, do I know—

…

Was that an angel I was hearing?

"Edward, sweetheart, can you hear me? Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry."

"Go put some shoes on Bella, you're half undressed."

"Dad, I'm not walking around the house with wet boots on. And I'm wearing stockings for heaven's sake."

"Well why don't you go ahead and put your boots and coat back on and leave me alone with him for a few more minutes. Looks like he's coming to."

"Don't you dare, Dad. I mean it."

That was Bella's voice I was hearing. I'm pretty sure. Who's dad? Was that my dad?

"Dad? Bella?"

I slowly opened my eyes. The light hurt and it took a minute to be able to focus.

_Who is that man? Why am I lying on the floor in the foyer? Why does my head feel like it's been hit with a wrecking ball?_

"Because my father knocked your lights out. Are you ok, Edward?

She was bending down over me. Her hands were touching my face and it hurt like hell.

"I don't know…what's going on? Are _you_ ok?"

"I'm fine. Come on and I'll help you into the parlor."

I managed to get up but swayed a little bit.

"Edward, this is my father, Charlie Swan."

I reached out to shake his hand and he _sneered_ at me. I gave him a wide berth while going into the parlor.

"Actually, _Edwin_, you can call me _Sheriff _Swan_,_ or sir."

I was going to go with sir. He can call me whatever he wanted. He scared me. A lot.

"Sir, I can't imagine what you're thinking to have greeted me in such a fashion?"

I sat as close as I could to the door—just in case.

"No, Edwin, you can't imagine what I'm thinking. If you could imagine what I'm thinking, you would be on your knees, begging me to make it quick."

_Damn._

Bella began to cry. "Daddy, don't say such a thing!"

"Young lady, you best sit down and speak when spoken to or I'll send you outside to wait for me."

That woke me up. That's my wife he was talking to. Nobody treats her like that.

"Bella can say anything she wants to in her own house."

He turned red. I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there in the parlor. Either that or kill me. I would have preferred the heart attack, if I was being honest.

"I didn't mean any disrespect sir. There just seems to be a misunderstanding and I'd like to start all over again. I'm Edward Masen. I'm…Bella's husband. I thought I explained it all to you in the letter I wrote."

He looked like the wind was knocked out of him…_and yet still angry_. He took a moment, his eyes moving between me and Bella. Finally his eyes settled on me.

"Are you referring to the letter signed _Decent American_?"

"Decent American? No, I'm pretty sure that I signed the letter with my name, sir. Someone else sent a letter?"

Now he looked at Bella, no anger directed at her, just confusion.

"You're married?"

She nodded.

"How long?"

Bella looked like she was going to pass out. I got up from my chair and sat next to her on the couch.

"Almost six months." I answered.

He began tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair. His lips were twisted and his eyebrow was raised as he looked at Bella.

"So this is what you call_ volunteer_ work, Bella?"

The look on Bella's face would have been hilarious if her father hadn't been carrying a gun on his hip.

"Sir, I'm sorry that you apparently didn't get my letter. I sent it about a week ago. I don't imagine that you've received it _and _made the journey down here so quickly. It's a very long story, and I hope that you'll give me the benefit of the doubt until I can explain it to you. If you don't mind, my head is throbbing and I could use some coffee. You have a mean right hook, you know."

He didn't answer me. He was looking at Bella like he lost the most valuable thing in his life. I knew what it was like to lose her, and I felt bad for the guy.

"You're really married, huh?"

She gave him that sweet, shy nod. Losing his little girl, especially _that_ little girl, must have torn his heart out.

"Come on in the kitchen, Dad. I'll fix some coffee. I have some of your favorite pecan coffee cake that I baked this morning, too." She grabbed her father's hand and led him into the kitchen. He walked like he was wearing lead shoes.

We spent hours in the kitchen, explaining all the things that happened—well _most_ of the things that happened between us. As long as I live, the last thing I ever want to do again is explain a complicated and strange story to a sheriff, especially one that involved his only daughter. He didn't miss a thing. He might as well have had me tied down and put me on a medieval torture rack. It was so hard to lie to that man! No wonder Bella couldn't tell a fib.

He finally explained to us that the _Concerned American_ wrote and told him that we were living in sin and throwing wild parties that included various states of undress. Hell, I hadn't even seen my own wife in _any_ state of undress! Well, there was that one time when she was in bed in her nightgown—_wrong time and place, Edward_.

We both assured him that the allegations were entirely untrue, and that he would meet Carlisle and Esme, who would vouch for our behavior.

I figured it had to have been the Mallorys. Who else would write such a thing? Lauren was under some insane notion that I had intentions toward her, and she would not let that thought go.

Then Charlie brought up something else in the letter.

"The letter also mentioned that there was some funny business with a man called…Roy…no…Royce. That's it. What's that about?"

Bella couldn't look at either of us and turned her head. I got up and pulled her up from her chair and held her, telling her it was ok, he can't hurt her. I kissed her on the top of her pretty head and wiped the tears from her face. She looked so tired, and she had such a big day. I led her into the foyer and helped her get her warm clothes on so I could walk her home to the Cullen's. I made sure that she was bundled up good and tight so she wouldn't get sick, because I'd never forgive myself if she did.

I asked Charlie if he wouldn't mind giving us a few minutes while I walked her to the Cullen's so she could get some sleep. He didn't know exactly what was bothering her, but I think he had a pretty good idea, being in the line of work he was in. I left them alone for a minute while they said goodnight, then walked Bella home. I knew it was bothering her that her father would find out what Royce tried to do to her. I held her close as we walked, and told her that it was obvious that she was the apple of her father's eye, and that she always would be. That her dad was too smart to ever think that any of it was her fault. That seemed to brighten her up a little bit. Every girl knows that her dad is the smartest, toughest, sweetest man in the world, and I was glad for that.

I gave my sweetheart a little pat on her lovely, soft, round bum, and God forgive me but I wanted to take a bite of that…mm, mm, mm….and sent her upstairs to bed. Carlisle and Esme asked what happened to my face, and I told them that Bella's father showed up for a surprise visit. They both just said "Oh". It pretty much confirmed that I had it coming to me. What happened to that_ 'standing by your family'_,Mom and Dad_?_

Now back to the firing squad.

About half way through the Royce King story, Sheriff Swan stood up and demanded the "fucker's" address. I managed to get him to sit back down after I assured him that _fucker_ would never go near Bella again. The man had some very good interrogation skills, and I fessed up the whole story. He approved. He was playing with his Colt and asked if I was _certain_ that the situation was contained. I was certain. He said he wished that he had been there. I told him that I would have liked that. I wished that he would holster his gun again.

Then Sheriff Swan got down to brass tacks.

"So, Edwin. What's the story with my daughter staying at the neighbor's house? Are you planning on staying married to her or what?"

"Well, sir. That's why I wrote the letter to you. I wanted to explain the situation, and..._suck it up_ _Edwin_…and ask permission to marry your daughter." I felt like I was going to black out for a second, but the thought of being alone and unconscious with him was like a whiff of smelling salts_. _

He moved his shoulder and I flinched back. He really did have a mean right hook.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to punch you again…at least not right now."

He continued. "Either you are married, or you're not. Which is it?"

"Sir, I never actually said my vows. I don't consider myself truly married until I do. I _want_ to say those vows to your daughter. Very much."

"You lived alone with my daughter for over a month. Now you're saying that you weren't _really married_ to her?" He stood up. I kept my eye on that right fist.

"No, no. I mean yes. I mean…shit…I never…we never." I sounded like an idiot even to myself.

I held up my finger so he could give me a moment to get my thoughts together.

"We never…consummated the marriage."

He looked at me like I was some kind of bastard, taking advantage of his daughter and trying to lie his way out of it_. Start talking Masen, he has a gun_.

"I love your daughter. I want your daughter." _Please, please don't kill me. _ "But I would never do anything to compromise her. That's why she's at the Cullen's house. I wanted to get your permission first. I apologize for not contacting you sooner. It was wrong of me."

He kept looking between me and the gun like he was debating on which one of us was the right one for him to put his trust in. _Please pick me_.

"So you're saying you want a proper wedding?"

"Yes, I am sir."

"When?"

"I was just waiting to hear from you. And of course, I haven't officially asked Bella yet."

"If she says no?'

"I'll die." I _can't believe I just said that out loud_.

Sheriff Swan rolled his eyes. "Edwin, if she says no after living with you for so long, _I'm_ gonna kill you, so you may get your wish."

"I know, sir. I know."

Sheriff Swan accepted my offer of taking the guest bedroom while he was here. I made sure my door was securely locked. It was the first time in a long while that I didn't get into bed with a throbbing erection.

The left side of my face was purple for a couple of days, but it finally changed to a yellowish brown and I received fewer stares from people. Bella kept kissing it whenever her father wasn't around, causing shooting pain to travel through my entire skull, but who was I to complain?

Bella was so happy to have her father visit, and for that reason, I endured. It was easy to see how much she loved him—and why she was so innocent. One look at him and every male in a fifteen foot radius would skedaddle.

We showed her father the town. Well, I mostly drove and walked a couple of feet behind them. I was never sure when _sir_ would snap, and I think he liked that. They both especially enjoyed the Museum of Science and Industry. Bella was interested in futuristic gadgets that were supposed to make taking care of the home easier. If you asked me, they looked like more bother than they were worth. Sheriff Swan was engrossed by a display of new law enforcement tools including an article about lie detection, and a manual on police training and interrogation procedures.

Spending time with Bella and her father made me see Bella in a new light. I had always seen her as _my_ Bella, because for as long as I have known her, she was _my_ Bella. Now, I also saw her as her father's daughter. Since I couldn't very well get caught up in my incessant fantasies about her while her father was around, I also noticed how she interacted with people. She enjoyed pleasing them and cared about the feelings of everyone. She also tried to hide in the background and go unnoticed, but that was impossible for someone so pretty. She was like a little ray of sunshine and you could see the goodness radiate from her. How could I have been so blessed to have her love _me_?

The Cullen's had us over for dinner a few times and Sheriff Swan thought the world of them. He adored Alice, though he all but shined a bright light into Jasper's eyes, questioning him on his intentions towards her. I should have felt sorry for Jasper, but it deflected some of the attention away from me. I could live with that.

I finally got up the nerve to ask Sheriff Swan how long he had planned on staying, and he informed me that he would be leaving in four days.

It didn't give me much time.

**A/N: **

**In case you're wondering how Edward and **_**Decent American**_** could have written to Charlie, back then you could have addressed the envelope as: Sheriff Swan, Forks, Washington, and it would have been delivered.**

**I did a little research on swearing back during this time and this is what I took from it; people did swear, but not in polite company. The words used are basically the same as the words we use today. The "f" word has been common since at least the mid 1600's. Also, you rarely saw swear words in print. **

**As far as the confession went, I don't know how accurate I was, but I tried.**

**I'm so glad you liked the copy and paste reviews. I had fun with it. Several people asked about borrowing my c/p idea for their own stories. Isn't this what fanfic is about—helping aspiring writers? So there's your answer. Yes. I LOVED the way you all played with the copy/paste reviews!**

**Kalahra posted a rec for this story and I'm **_**completely**_** and thoroughly **_**blown away**_**. You should be able to copy and paste to get to the page (I haven't figured out the rules of how to post a link on Fan Fic yet). She is amazing! (**_**Thank you**_**, if I knew how to make a heart, I would.)**

** community. livejournal .com/twilight_addict/ (delete the space before and after 'livejournal' and it should work) It was posted May 22. If it doesn't format right on this chapter, I'll add it to my profile. Really nice site, you may want to bookmark it.**

**Yeah, I'm guilty of long A/Ns and I've become a "shameless review whore". I've been called worse : ) I know a lot of you made an extra effort to put reviews in. **_**Thank you all**_**!**


	24. Birds and Butterflies

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 24: Birds and Butterflies**

Dad was a little mean to Edward and I couldn't really understand why. It wasn't like there had been any hanky-panky, plus we were _married_ for heaven's sake. I could sort of understand why my dad punched him that first day, the situation did look _bad_. Edward's face was messed up for several days but I know how much he liked it when I kissed his face and made it better, so I did it as often as I could. Maybe if I had been honest in the letters to my father that first night would have gone better. Lying to him was the worst thing I had ever done in my life—if you don't count marrying Edward when he was unconscious. But it's not like I would ever do anything like that again.

I was terrified at what Dad would think about what happened with Royce. Edward seemed to know how wonderful my Dad is, so I felt comforted that he would understand that I had done nothing wrong. The only thing my dad said to me about it was that Edward had done right by me and the-whatever he said, I couldn't hear him-would never bother me again.

We had so much fun taking my dad around town. Edward was so sweet, giving us a little space and not getting jealous about all the attention I was giving Dad. You could see the respect in Edward's eyes and it made me love him all the more.

Edward took us to that yummy Hungarian restaurant again and that same friendly waiter took our order. My dad liked his food so much he went in back into the kitchen to get recipe from him. I guess since I hadn't been home he had taken up cooking. The waiter liked my dad so much that he told us lunch was on the house. I told Edward that from now on, we should give that restaurant more business. Dad thought that was a great idea.

The three of us were going to spend another day out, and Edward told me to wear something especially pretty, but wouldn't tell me where we were going. Alice and Esme insisted that I wear a summery type dress that was light blue and violet and fluttered about. They said that there was supposed to be a warm snap. I had never heard of a warm snap before, but they insisted that it was common in Chicago just before spring. Alice curled my hair and pinned some of it up on my head so it looked like it was flowing in waves. Esme plucked my eyebrows and it hurt. They buffed my nails, put Vaseline on my lips, and put a little dot of brown powder on my eyelids. My father would probably make me wash my face off before we left the house. Alice was making me twirl around in front of the mirror when Carlisle called upstairs and told me that I had company.

Edward was waiting at the bottom of the staircase. His hair was almost tame, and he was wearing a fitted navy blue wool suit and a crisp white shirt. His green eyes stood out against the contrasting colors and I've never seen him look more handsome.

"You look beautiful" He said in a rush of air.

Esme, Alice, and Carlisle were all standing in the foyer watching us. Edward was holding his hand out, offering me a bouquet of the most fragrant red roses I'd ever smelled. I'm sure they were beautiful, but I couldn't take my eyes off Edward long enough to look at them. Esme took them from my hands and said she would put them in water. Edward offered me his arm and opened the door to lead us out. I had to laugh, the silly goose had forgotten all about my coat. He helped me on with my coat but had trouble with the buttons. His hands were a little shaky: they were probably cold. I did refuse to wear my hat because after all the time Alice had spent on my hair, there was no way I was going to squish it all down.

The wind was whipping outside and took my breath away. I may have never heard of warm snap before, but it sure didn't feel like one to me. I was so glad Edward's car had been warmed up because I was shaking just from the walk from the porch to the street. We were about a block down when I realized that my dad wasn't in the car. Edward told me that Dad had decided to go visit the downtown police station today, and wanted us to go without him. As much as I loved having my dad visit, I did miss my time alone with Edward, and I think he did too, because we had only driven two blocks before he pulled over and placed two or three kisses on my lips.

"Where are we going?"

He smiled. "I thought we could use a day of summer. Sound good?"

"It sounds heavenly. You're not planning on driving us all the way down to Florida, are you?" I giggled.

"Nope. Just down near the lake. I think you'll like it."

"Really Edward, we could just sit in the backseat of the car and I'd be happy."

He didn't say anything, just nodded his head and stared at the road. Just past downtown we pulled up to a building that took up several blocks. It was made entirely of glass.

"We're here."

"What is this place?"

"It's the Chicago Conservatory. They grow plants and flowers in here year long. We're quite proud of it."

"You should be. It's amazing."

He pulled up to the front of the building and got out of the car. He came around to my door and helped me out, and told me to wait inside while he parked. I was so glad because it was freezing outside. Once inside, I really couldn't see anything because there was another set of doors we had to go through. Edward joined me a minute later.

He opened the door for me and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a winding path inside with plants, flowers and trees lining it. Some were familiar but most were exotic. They were the kinds of plants that I had imagined while reading _Jungle Book_. Small waterfalls and ponds were scattered throughout, and the steam rose from them, making it seem like we were in summertime somewhere along the equator. Edward gave me a penny to throw in one of the ponds and told me to make a wish. I closed my eyes, made my wish and tossed the penny into the pond. He whispered in my ear that he hoped it came true. I didn't tell him that he was the only one who could be sure that it would.

We had gone through several of the rooms, and came to the biggest one yet. There was a very large pond in the center, surrounded by tall trees and ferns. Huge speckled goldfish were swimming around in the dark green water, dodging the stems of the water lillies. I heard, rather than saw some birds chirping and there were butterflies of every color flitting all around. I could hear piano music playing in the background, too. It felt like I walked into a magical garden. It was odd that the other rooms were bustling with people, and yet there wasn't another soul in there with us. Edward led me to a stone bench where we could relax and enjoy the garden. I looked all around and saw that the wind from outside was blowing the snow up off the ground and it swirled against the glass walls. I felt like nothing bad could ever touch me here.

"This is so beautiful Edward. Thank you for bringing me here."

"It is beautiful, but it doesn't compare to you."

I know I turned pink. He always exaggerates about me so much. I reached for his hand and held it in my lap. I never wanted this moment to end. We sat there with the butterflies floating around us and listened to the music. That Debussy song from the symphony was now being played. Edward pulled my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it and then stood up. I thought we were leaving, so I started to stand, too. He put his other hand on my shoulder and said. "Just a second." I looked up at him and he had such an intense look in his eyes that it almost scared me. He brushed the back of his fingers down my cheek, and then got down on one knee before me.

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!_

I just wanted to scream out 'YES' before he ever said a single word. My heart was about to burst and I had black spots in my vision.

"Isabella Marie Swan, I don't know what my life would have been if I hadn't met you. If I lived forever, there would never, could never be any other girl for me. From the moment I laid eyes on you, and even when I was too blind to see who you really are, my soul recognized you as my one true love. I will love you even beyond my last breath."

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little blue velvet box.

"Bella, would you give me the honor of allowing me to spend my life loving you forever as your husband?"

He opened the box. It was difficult to pull my eyes away from his to look down at the ring. It sparkled in a ray of sunlight that was streaming down from the glass ceiling. The diamond was square and rather large, but it had a simple platinum band. It was perfect. I was having trouble seeing after a moment because tears were filling my eyes. I couldn't even speak.

Edward bit his lip. "Bella…?"

I still couldn't bring myself to speak. I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face there, almost knocking him down. I couldn't stop crying.

"Please tell me that means yes love?"

I nodded emphatically.

Edward finally pulled me up and held me close, kissing the top of my head. My hand was on his chest, and he slid the ring down my finger and then kissed it. It fit like a glove.

"It was my mother's, but we can always get a different one if you prefer."

"It's just right."

Edward looked up.

"I think we have an audience."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and turned towards where he was looking. All along the glass wall between the room we were in and the next room, were dozens of people watching us. They started clapping and cheering. A couple of the girls and women were holding handkerchiefs to their eyes and noses. I know that they were happy for us, but all I really wanted was to be held in Edward's arms. He took my hand and led us to the exit. He insisted that we stop at the gift shop and buy one of every kind of souvenir to remember this day. I had to agree with his extravagant behavior just this once.

He wanted to make me wait for him while he went to get the car, but I refused. I didn't want to let go of his hand for one second. When we got in the car, I expected him to start it right up, but he just sat there.

"Aren't you going to turn the car on?"

"Not until you say it."

Say it? "What?"

"You didn't actually answer my question."

Oh!

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

He grinned from ear to ear and turned the key. "We had better let it warm up a bit." Then he pulled me closer to him and planted little kisses on my lips. I put my hand under his jacket to keep it warm and kissed him back. He put his hand in my hair and pulled me closer and I didn't care in the least that he was messing up Alice's hairstyle. We kissed and kissed and kissed out there in the parking lot. Finally Edward groaned and said that we'd better go before they kick us out. We both suddenly realized that all of the windows were fogged up and we couldn't see a thing. He pushed a button and said it would take a minute to clear up, but in the meantime… He began kissing my throat and it was incredible. I lifted my chin up to give him more access. He started to kiss lower and his hand moved higher along my waist. His lips ghosted over the thin material covering my chest. He looked into my eyes and gently put his hand on my bosom and began caressing it with his thumb. My eyelids suddenly felt very heavy. I wanted for his hand to never leave me. Each slow pass of his thumb made my nipple harder and more sensitive. He began to whisper into my ear that he loves me and that I'm beautiful and perfect. A warm feeling was spreading throughout my body and I felt like I was losing my sense of reality. When Edward began kissing my lips with an alternating rhythm to the strokes of his hand it was like I was falling.

"Jesus Christ!"

He startled me, but I was still in my own fog.

"What?"

"If we don't get out of here now, you're going to get your wish about spending some time with me in the back seat."

"Hm?...Oh. ..OH!"

"Yeah, Oh is right."

I looked around the parking area quickly but I don't think anyone had seen us and I was relieved. Edward was disheveled. I suppose that I had been the one who messed him up, but I couldn't even begin to remember where my hands had been. He was looking at me and I'm sure I was unkempt, but he just licked his lips and began driving.

"Are we going home?"

"No, I'm going to take my fiancé out for dinner."

Oooh, my toes wiggled at being called his 'fiancé'. I liked it! Wait. I was his wife already.

"Edward?"

"Yes love."

"Aren't I already your wife, dear?"

"Technically, yeah."

"What do you mean, technically?"

"You know what I mean."

"Hm…no, no, not really."

"Uh, well, I mean that I wasn't awake to say the vows, so, you know."

"Oh…I see. You've been kissing on me for quite a few months now."

His mouth was opening and closing like a fish, but no sound was coming out.

"Edward?"

"I'm thinking."

"Well, I'm thinking, too. I'm thinking that I've been kissing a boy who is not my husband, and was not my _fiancé _until a few minutes ago. My father would kill us both if he knew that. That's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking that I spent a month alone in the house of a boy who was not my husband and not even my fiancé."

He pulled the car over and parked.

"Bella, honey, you know that I love you. Besides, everyone kisses like that before they're married. You're just a good girl, and that's one of the things that make you so special. As for the wedding, I just want to be able to say the vows in front of God and everyone."

"Are you saying that we aren't married?"

"Bella…"

"Don't Bella me. Say it Edward. Say it out loud."

"Ok, ok. We're married. Alright?"

"You mean that?"

"Yes."

"Ok then."

"But I still want you to have a proper church wedding."

"I don't need a big fancy wedding. I'm fine."

"You sure? It doesn't have to be big or fancy. It can just be the two of us."

"So what you're saying is that _you_ want a wedding?"

He looked so pitiful, staring at his fingers.

"Well, I would have liked to have been…conscious."

I never knew he could be such an arguer.

"You did say 'yes' you know."

"I believe you, but I don't think I knew what I was saying yes to, did I?"

I was getting really irritated.

"Fine. You can have your stupid wedding."

"Good. Thank you."

"You know the neighbors will never forget that we got married _after_ we lived together."

"They don't have to know."

"Then you're not expecting me to wear a wedding gown?"

His mouth dropped open.

"Yes, I expect a wedding gown."

"And how am I supposed to leave the house unnoticed while wearing a wedding gown?"

"Uh…"

"That's what I thought…What about my dad?"

"He approves."

"No, I mean I want my dad at the wedding. He's all I have."

"Your dad is leaving in 3 days."

"Well, he can't very well go home and then come back. He won't be able to take any time off work for a long while. Maybe he can come back next year."

"Next year!"

"You're the one who wants another wedding."

"No, I'm not waiting a year."

"Well you can't expect me to plan a wedding in two days!"

"It doesn't have to be fancy, you said so yourself."

He looked so sad.

"Fine. It's gonna be the craziest wedding ever."

"Thank you sweetheart."

"Am I being demoted to just sweetheart now?"

"You know what I mean."

"Esme was right."

"About what?"

"Men _are_ idiots."

"I know. But I'm beginning to discover that we're fine—until we fall in love. Then we just can't even think straight anymore."

"Hmph."

"You ready to go eat?"

"If you want me to have a wedding in three days I better get over to Esme's. Why don't we just get some hot dogs and bring them home?"

He started pouting.

"Bella, I made reservations at a really nice restaurant. I wanted to make this a special day for you."

"It is a special day, Edward. The conservatory was beautiful and it was the happiest moment of my life. But if we don't get moving, you're in big trouble."

"Hmph. Fine."

"Good."

We stopped at a corner stand and Edward bought 5 hot dogs, one of them was for me. He got me Italian lemonade too, so it put me in a better mood.

I was so excited about showing my dad my ring. We walked into the house and he wasn't in the parlor, so I went to the back of the house into the kitchen. He wasn't there either, and I was concerned because all of the lights were on. Edward followed me into the kitchen and set the bag of hot dogs on the table.

"I wonder where Dad is."

Edward just shrugged and chewed off about a half of a dog with one bite. I rolled my eyes and went and got us plates. I sat down at the other end of the table, knowing conversation was going to be at a minimum because Edward wouldn't talk until all four of his hot dogs were gone.

I heard some noise.

"What is that?'

Edward gave me an 'I don't know what you're talking about' look. Then the noise got louder. It was a squeaking noise. Wasn't it? Squeak, squeak, squeak. Yes it was.

"Something upstairs is squeaking."

Edward stopped chewing for a minute and we both listened. His eyes bugged open.

That was odd. "It sounds like someone is jumping on a bed?"

I stood up to go investigate and Edward leapt from his chair, knocking it down. He grabbed me by my elbow and pulled me back into the kitchen.

"What?"

His mouth was full and he couldn't speak.

"Let go, I want to go see what's going on."

He shook his head frantically.

"What's going on Edward?"

He pulled me back to my chair and had me sit down. He finished chewing and said "Just…eat, Bella."

"What you mean just eat? Something is going on upstairs and I want to know what it is. My dad could be in some sort of trouble!"

"He's not in any trouble. You're going to have to take my word for it. Just eat."

The squeaking got louder and faster. I could hear my dad say something, and then it got very quiet. I figured I could go see what was going on now and Edward pointed at me. "Don't."

My feet were tapping on the floor. What the heck? Edward just kept eating and smiling. Every once in a while he'd let out a laugh and choke a little bit on his hot dog. Finally, finally I could hear my dad coming down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen and looked shocked to see us.

"Dad, what were you….

Mrs. Wolinski was right behind him. They looked worn out.

…doing….

Ooooohhhhh…..myyyy….Goooodddd!

Edward spoke up. "How ya doin' Charlie?"

"Uh…wasn't expecting you kids home so soon."

Edward leaned his chair back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I guess not. Bella decided she didn't want to go to the restaurant." Edward had a big grin on his face and he picked up a hot dog and offered it to my Dad.

"Dog?"

Dad just shook his head no.

Mrs. Wolinski spoke up. "I was just…finishing up. I guess I'd better be going now. Edward, Bella, hope you have a good evening."

I could barely get the words out. "You, too."

I couldn't even look at my dad.

"It's getting kind of dark, I'll just…walk Mrs. Wolinski home. You two don't have to wait up for me."

I nodded. Edward said "No problem. You two have fun."

Dad rubbed his hands over his face then walked out of the room.

"Don't you say a single word Edward."

He chuckled. "Who, me?"

The hot dog on my plate was mocking me so I threw it away. Edward ate while humming a tune.

**A/N: SO (that goes out to you mommywanda) I'm thinking that since it only took me about an hour to write this chapter, that I could just go and turn this into a mini-soap opera. I haven't even touched on the other characters, and life back then was so…soap opera-y. Just a thought. I really do have an ending…sort of, and it's coming pretty quick. I don't really want to say goodbye to B&E.**

**I'm not a big fan of weddings, so I don't know how that's going to turn out, or when I'll get it done. It's hard not to project my own disdain. If I had to do my wedding all over again, I would trust my first instinct and get married by an Elvis. **

**I've looked at hundreds of wedding pictures from 1919, and honestly the dresses were so ugly that I think I'd prefer to see Bella in a burlap sack with a bow stapled to it. One thing I noticed in every picture was that the brides looked terrified. Sounds like a plan.**

**Please don't make me hook for reviews. **

**SRW **

**Shameless Review Whore. (that one goes out to you Duchess)**


	25. Hearth And Home

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 25: Hearth and Home **

Edward had finished his hot dogs, so I went and sat in his lap and laid my head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for being such a crab about the wedding."

He put his hand in my hair and began rubbing my ear between his thumb and finger and I knew I was forgiven.

"I'm sorry for expecting so much from you. I know you want your dad here, and you wouldn't be you if you didn't. We can wait and maybe you could get a letter to your mom, and we can have the whole family here. Would you like that, sweetheart?"

I peeked up at him. He had a smile on his face but I saw the sadness in his eyes. His family was gone. I wanted to kiss all his pain away, but that kind of loss took years, if ever at all to lessen. It was true, I wanted my mom to be here, but in all honesty what I wanted most was to be married to Edward. It could be a year before I might track her down since she and Phil travelled all over the country. I knew she would understand because I didn't even know about her wedding until well afterwards. She told me "Bella, there was a reason why I left your father and endured the life I had, I knew something was missing. I didn't know what it was until I met Phil. When he asked me to marry him I wasn't going to wait another minute because I had already waited too long." She married him that same day in the county courthouse.

The feeling that something was missing was not reserved only for my mother. The feeling of never belonging, or having a real _family_ was with me just about my entire life. I would see parents doting on their children the way I did to my parents. Little things, like making sure I was bundled up when it was cold outside were foreign to me—until Edward. I looked up into his eyes, remembering when he was in the hospital and I talked to him while he slept. I named every shade of green that could be found in Forks. There was no shade of green there that matched the color of his eyes, but I knew what name it would be just the same. It would be called _home_.

"_You_ are my family, Edward."

I swear I could hear his heart skip a beat after I said that. His arm tightened around my waist and he kissed the top of my head.

"You know Edward, I never told you, but I talked to your mom for a moment."

He pulled his head back and looked at me. "You did?"

"Mm-hm."

"What did she say?"

"Well, she said something I didn't understand…did you ever have a sister?"

"No, no siblings."

"It's…strange…she kept calling me 'daughter'."

"Daughter? I don't know why…the only thing that comes to my mind is that my father's mother always called her 'daughter'. Did she say anything else?"

"Yes, she made me promise..."

"What?"

"She made me promise to never leave you."

Edward got lost in his thoughts. "What did you say to her?"

"I said yes. I promised."

He was looking down at our hands entwined on my lap.

"Edward, that's not why I stayed, look at me please."

His eyes met mine.

I put my hands on either side of his face so he could see the truth in what I had to say. "I love you. I'm not here because of Father Seth, or your mother, or because I'm afraid of being divorced. Please tell me that you know that I love you."

He gave me a weak smile and said "I know".

I was afraid he would become all melancholy again so I tried to distract him from those thoughts. I snuggled up him to and rubbed my nose on his jaw. "Hold me tighter and kiss me before we go to the Cullen's."

So he did. I kissed him with all I had, trying to convince him how much I loved him. My strategy must have worked, because he began kissing me back with the same fervor. Breaking our kiss for only a moment, he scooted me around so that my legs were straddling him and we were facing each other. I felt…vulnerable in this position, but trusted him with all my heart.

My dress was scrunched up between us and my legs were hugging his hips. He wrapped his hands around my neck in a possessive manner, and then he took turns sucking first on my bottom lip, then my top lip. I ran my hands up and down the front of his shirt and was surprised that his nipples reacted just as mine had earlier, and that they were pebbling up. I kind of got lost in the sensation and gave them both a little pinch. Edward leaned away minutely and blew out a rush of breath over my wet lips. I could taste him on my tongue and I wanted more. His hands moved down from my neck and over my collarbone, where his thumbs trailed slowly along the lines. Before moving further downward he looked at me, I suppose making sure I was ok with what he was doing. I moved my hands down to his stomach, and then around to the small of his back to give him better access. He kept his palms flat against my chest, lowering them until the heels of his hands were just beneath my breasts, and then he gave them both a squeeze. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation. He stayed there, rubbing and massaging me, occasionally giving the tips gentle little pinches. When I opened my eyes I saw him staring at my mouth like it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. He licked his lips like he was starving, making me feel like he was about to lean in to feed off me. I would have let him.

His hands slipped slowly down my torso to my hips, where his grip remained for a second before he began kissing me again. He moved his hands down my thighs and calves, all the way to my ankles. His touch was so soft and inquisitive, feeling each contour with the tips of his fingers. His hands slid under my skirt and up over my stocking covered calves, pausing when he reached my knees.

"You're so beautiful." He said as his fingers rested on my knees, his eyes never leaving my face.

I scooted myself even closer to him, my skirt bunching up even more. I put my hands up around his neck, my fingers combing into his hair. He removed one hand from under my skirt and reached around and grabbed my behind, lifting his hips up while he did so. His other hand slid higher up my skirt until he passed my stockings and garter, his fingers met the bare skin of my upper thigh. The sensation of having a man touch me there was unlike anything I could have ever dreamed of. I grabbed his hair tightly and pulled his head to my neck, needing to feel his lips against my skin. Instead, he opened his mouth and bit down, not enough to hurt or cut the skin, but I swear that I could feel what he was doing to my neck all the way down to my toes. Between his hand on my thigh, his teeth on my skin, his silky hair in my hands and having my legs spread apart, something came over me and I began rubbing my chest against him and pushing my hips out to get even closer. Edward must have felt the same way because the grip on my thigh and behind tightened and he pushed his hips out, too. I wanted to get closer but my darn dress was all bunched up between us and no matter how much I wiggled about, I just couldn't get it to cooperate.

"Bella…Bella…please…stop…don't…"

Edward's arm shot out from under my dress and he grabbed me around the waist, holding me very still. "Stop, stop, stop."

He pulled me to him, burying his face in my hair and then he his shoulders began to shudder.

After a minute he began rocking slightly and said. "Jesus Christ, Bella."

"What, what's the matter, Edward?"

He just kept shaking his head sounding like he was trying to say something but only nonsense noises came out of his mouth. I wanted to pull away to look at him but he wouldn't release his hold on me. He was just rocking and mumbling.

"Bella, I can't take much more of this. You're going to be the death of me."

I wanted to resume what we were doing, _I really liked it_. I don't exactly know why he always needed to stop just when I was feeling… something.

"Edward, do you like that? Do you like kissing as much as I do…because I really, really like kissing?"

He finally pulled his face back from my shoulder. His cheeks were flushed pink and he looked a bit tired. "Love, you just have no idea how much I like kissing you. If I could, I would never, ever stop. But right now, I gotta go upstairs and…wash my face."

He stood us up and smoothed my skirt down for me. He licked his lips and gave me a kiss on the mouth and went upstairs. I sat down in my chair and waited for him, kind of in a haze from what just happened. When he returned, I noticed that he had changed his clothes.

"Are we going somewhere?"

"No, I'm just taking you to the Cullen's, why do you ask?"

"You've changed your clothes."

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, so I waited.

"I just…I wanted to…uh…these are more comfortable."

He almost looked embarrassed.

Just then the kitchen door flew open and Alice and Esme burst in. Their arms were full of bags, boxes and packages.

"Congratulations!" They both yelled out in unison.

Alice looked at me, wiggled her eyebrows and said "Oh, and by the way Bella, the hem of your dress is stuck on your garter."

I felt like a dog chasing its tail, trying to find where my dress was stuck. Finally Esme came behind me and tugged at my skirt, releasing it from my garter. Everyone pretended like nothing happened and Alice continued talking.

"We have so much to do! Edward, don't even think about abandoning us. You just have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Bella, it would be swell if you went ahead and put on a pot of coffee. Oh my goodness—the ring! I almost forgot the ring! Let me see it!"

Esme and Alice oohed and ahhed over my ring, and rightly so. It was so beautiful. I think Alice allotted about 60 seconds of ring appreciation before she went into serious wedding mode. She pulled a tablet and pencil out of a bag and began to orchestrate the events.

"Bella, you will meet at our house tomorrow promptly at 7 so we can finish your gown."

"I have a gown?"

"Of course you do."

"Where? How?"

"I've spent the last 2 months sewing it. Why do you think I had all that wedding material?"

"I thought that was for your own wedding?"

"Bella, do you not know me? There simply is no Irish lace to be found in this city. You can't expect me to get married without Irish lace, can you?"

"Well…I…"

"You're the one in a rush to get married, not me, so I figured you would have to suffice with American lace."

"How did you…are you saying you started a dress for me two months ago?"

"No silly, I had to design it and search for materials for a couple of months before I began sewing it. Bella, do you know nothing about weddings?"

Apparently not.

"Anyways, Edward, I need you to finish up the guest list that I started. Keep it simple."

"There's only one person that I have to have there." He smiled at me.

"That's so romantic Edward, but not very helpful. Start writing. Bella, did you have anyone you wanted to invite?"

"Just you guys, and of course Rosalie, Emmet, Jasper, Mrs. Wolinski… _cough_…oh, and Mr. Jenks."

Edward gave me an incredulous look. Of course I would invite Mr. Jenks; he was the one that was responsible for our situation. I wanted to give Edward the hairy eyeball to sway him, but learned my lesson from last time, so I just pouted and he gave in.

Alice rambled on. "Edward, you'll need to go to see Father Seth first thing in the morning. Charlie has to be on the train by 6 pm on your wedding day, so you'll want to make it a morning ceremony—the short ceremony Edward, we are not having a two hour high mass."

Edward looked a bit disappointed about that. _Egad_.

I had to sit down for a minute. This was really going to happen. I was going to have to go up in front of a crowd—ok, a small group, but just the same—in a fancy dress and I'd have to say all that stuff and I was sure I'd probably pass out or maybe even get sick or something.

Alice began going through the packages she brought, and Esme sat next to me and gave me a hug. "Don't worry, let us handle everything, it's your day and we just want you to be happy." I hugged her back. It meant so much to me that I had people in my life to help me out. I had no idea what I ever did to stumble upon such good people.

Alice unloaded her items and they were spread all over the table. "Edward, I need to be blunt. How much money do I have to spend?" Edward laughed and shook his head. He took my hand and kissed the back of it. "Alice, you just make sure that my wife has a wedding that will make her happy and I'll give you my checkbook." Alice clapped and jumped up and down. Esme looked like she was making calculations in her head. Esme, Alice and Edward were all rambling on, making lists, and doling out chores. I tried to keep up and be part of the planning, but my head was swimming.

"Bella, you don't mind that I'm taking over like this, do you? Alice asked sweetly.

This was too, too much. Really, I wanted to cry. So I did. I couldn't help it. They all began to hug me and tell me it would be ok. I told them that I just had a long day and that I'd be ok in a few minutes.

Edward wanted this wedding and I wasn't going to ruin it even though the first wedding we had was just fine with me.

I told Alice and Esme how much I appreciated what they were doing, and they assured me that they both lived for this kind of thing. After that, I sort of lost track of everything that was going on around me, and Edward noticed. He told the girls he was going to take me home to get some sleep, and walked me to the Cullen's house. Again, he offered to cancel the wedding, but I refused, convincing him that I just had a big day and was sleepy. _I_ _would do this no matter what._ I must have been overtired, because I slept like a log.

**A/N: I know, really short chapter, but I know if I don't post it I'll edit it until nothing is left.**

**As much as I like to read a good 'romantic interlude', I don't want to write gratuitous lemons, and debated on cutting the kitchen scene. No, I didn't add it as a 'tease' either. It's important to me that Bella and Edward stay in character, but I do feel that they would have made out like horny teenagers this close to their wedding, so I kept it in. Right? Wrong? Lemme know.**

**Since I'm talking about lemons, the words I found that people would have used for 'body parts' back then were just icky and demeaning, so I'm going to use more modern terms. As some of you have pointed out that I haven't bogged the story down with historical references and terms, and I purposely did that. It's just a story and I'm going for readability and enjoyment, not a Pulitzer Prize **

**There was something about the proposal scene that nobody remarked on, and I was very surprised. Want to try to guess what I was thinking when I wrote it? **

**THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS! (Yes, I am shouting.)**


	26. Getting Ready

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 26: Getting Ready **

The dress Alice made for me was beautiful and only needed a few minor alterations. It was about a three-quarter length, white linen dress, with lace edging, and white silk roses embroidered on the waist, which was cinched, and bodice, which was V cut and rather low. Other than the low neckline, it was perfect for me.

Rosalie and Esme sat in on the fitting so it was more like a social visit than a wedding chore. Rosalie put on a brave face, but we all knew how much it hurt her to be involved in wedding plans, when hers were so horribly and abruptly cancelled. No doubt she was very angry about what happened with Royce, but she never made me feel that I was at fault. We tried to talk to her, and let her know that we cared, but she said she got her feelings out and was ready to move on. After hearing what happened to Royce, I was certain that I never wanted to anger her or have her take her 'feelings' out on me.

Being surrounded by people who loved me was a fantastic feeling. It was something that I never imagined that I'd have, and it was the most wonderful thing in the world. All of the things they were doing for me were so unexpected. It wasn't just the things they did though. They stood by me at every step of my time in Chicago, never once doubting me. My mom once told me that when you grow up, if you find a good friend, be sure to hold on to them. I knew I never wanted to let them go.

Alice broke my moment of reflection. "There we go. You can take the dress off now, we're done."

"Ok, what's next?"

"I need you to relax and eat something before you go and spend some time with Edward."

"Don't we have a million things to do still?"

Alice shook her head and took me over to the chaise and had me sit down next to her.

"Bella, if it hadn't been for you befriending me, I would have never found my new and true family. You're like a sister to me, and I love you. Making your wedding a day to remember fondly is the least I could do."

She held up her hand to stop me from arguing with her.

"Listen, I don't feel like it's a debt or anything like that…it's just…more of a way to show you how much you mean to me. Believe it or not, this is the most important day of your life, and I'm so happy to be a part of it."

We hugged each other and Alice told me that if I cried and got tear stains on my dress she'd kill me, so I didn't. I did ask her if she would please be my maid of honor, and she told me that it was already written down on one of her lists, and that her dress was already ironed to perfection.

Esme had prepared a nice brunch and we quickly ate up as they all had a list they had to finish before the end of the day. I took Alice's order and went to Edward's to spend some time with him. He wasn't there, but my dad was. It was a little bit awkward at first, after what happened with Mrs. Wolinski and him last night. I was glad for him—I think, but I this was a side of him that I'd never seen before. I needed to know what was going on, and if he was truly the dad I always knew.

Sitting at the kitchen table, making small talk about the wedding, I finally got the nerve to ask.

"Dad, I take it that you like Mrs. Wolinski?"

He looked a bit nervous.

"I think she's a fine woman."

That wasn't very informative.

"Do you plan on continuing to…um…be…friends with her?"

"Bella, look…I don't want to take any of the spotlights away from your big day, but yes, I've asked her if she would come back to Forks with me, and she said yes."

"To be your housekeeper?"

"No, Bella. Not to be my housekeeper."

"Do you mean you're going to…um…live…together?"

"Yes. No! Not like that. I've asked her to marry me."

What a relief! For a second, I was terrified.

"Oh my god! That's terrific Dad! When are you getting married? Will you get married here, so I can be there?"

"We're going to get married in Forks. I know you want to be there, and I would like that, too. But this is the second time for both of us. We don't need all the fanfare, and like I said, it's your time now and both of us want your day to be all about you and Edwin, not us."

"Edward."

"Yeah, yeah, Edward."

"Speaking of Edward, you and I haven't had much time alone to talk about him. It means a lot to me that you like him. Do you like him, Dad?"

My father hated any boy that even so much as looked my direction. He hasn't hit Edward since that first day, so it seemed like he was warming up to him. His opinion mattered a lot to me, because I know he loves me, even if he doesn't express it very well.

Dad let out a deep breath.

"Bella, you could have done worse."

"Dad…"

"Ok, ok. He is obviously smitten with you. He seems to be able to take care of the two of you financially, at least for the time being. He _appears_ to be…acceptable, I guess. He's never tried to hurt you, has he?"

"No, Dad. Never."

"If he ever…ever…" Dad shook his head at the thought. "If he ever tries anything funny, you come right back home. Do you understand?"

"Dad, he wouldn't. You know I wouldn't marry him if I ever thought he would hurt me."

Dad stared out the window for a second, and then looked back at me.

"I know we haven't talked about…life very much, but…you need to be prepared for your…wedding night."

We both turned a matching shade of red.

"Oh! Dad…no…that's alright. I…Esme told me…um…"

"Esme told you…about…uh…"

"Yes! She told me everything. Don't worry."

I started to panic at this conversation and jumped up from my chair, looking for something to do. I walked into the pantry pretending to look for something so we wouldn't have to face each other.

"You hungry, Dad?"

"Yes, but I asked Mrs. Wolinski out to lunch. Put your coat on and join us."

I finally walked out of the pantry; I think my face was starting to turn its normal color again.

"Oh, I just ate at the Cullen's. Why don't the two of you go on without me?"

"If you're sure. I suppose you have all kinds of wedding preparations you have to take care of."

"Uh-huh. Tell Mrs. Wolinski I said hello and that I'm very happy for her. I know she has the best man in the whole world."

Dad awkwardly put his arms around me and gave me a hug.

"I love you, Dad."

"Me too, Bella. Me, too."

Wow. Dad and Mrs. Wolinski. I felt badly that I didn't know her better. I wondered how long she had been widowed, if she had any children that she would be leaving behind. Had she always lived in Chicago, and would Forks be a huge letdown, or would she find peace in a slower way of life? What would I call her now?

I knew she couldn't replace my mom, but I also knew that she was kind and very motherly to me when I first moved here. It was almost like a circle of life. She lived a life similar to my mother. When her husband died, she was on her own, having to take menial work just to survive. Now she had a new husband to take care of her. It made me both happy and sad at the same time. I was happy that she wouldn't be alone, cleaning other people's homes for menial wages. But sad, that unless a woman had a man, they didn't have any real choices but to perform services or other work that barely provided enough to live on. It didn't seem right.

The front door shut and tore me from my thoughts. I went into the other room and Edward was walking toward the library with a handful of mail, but stopped just as he reached the door. He turned, but was looking down at an envelope, and he seemed upset.

"Is everything ok?" I asked.

He looked up, surprised to see me. He nodded and handed me an envelope. The return address was from Tyler Crawley.

"Oh. I wonder why he sent me a letter."

"Would you like to read it alone?"

"No, why would I? I can't imagine why he would write."

"Was he the…boy you were visiting in the hospital?"

I nodded. "Mm-hm."

"I see."

He looked at me like he was expecting me to say more.

"What?" I asked.

"Was he…your beau?"

"My beau? Tyler?"

He nodded.

I had to blink a few times at the thought of such a thing.

"No. What would make you think that?"

"I don't know. It would only make sense that you would have a line of suitors back home. We never really talked about it before."

Edward shrugged his shoulders a few times and his nose twisted up a little bit. He looked uncomfortable.

_He's so silly._

"A line of suitors? You're so silly, Edward."

He ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"Well, apparently your father made sure that none of them were allowed near you. I suppose I can be grateful for that. Come on, come on, let's see what _Tyler_ wants."

I took his hand and led him into the parlor where we could sit on the couch. Inside the envelope was a letter and…a check? A check for $4,781.50. My mouth dropped open and I froze.

"What? What's wrong?"

I handed him the check. He was just as shocked as I was.

"What in the heck? Read the letter."

I was still frozen and handed the letter to him, which he read out loud.

_Dear Bella, _

_Do you remember the folks from the Bell Telephone Company who came to look at our phone display at the science fair? We told them all about the trouble we were having with the phone, and how we created a formula for glue that would allow the sound to pass through unobstructed. _

_It seems that they were very interested in the glue that we created. They had a bit of trouble tracking me down, but they finally did, don't ask me how. Anyway, they bought the formula and I'm splitting the profit with you 50/50. You were half of the team, and you deserve half of the profit. _

_Now here's the neat thing. I hired a lawyer to write up the contract, so the phone company can manufacture the glue for their own use, but they don't own the rights to it. I am starting up a plant to manufacture the glue and I have several radio manufacturers who are very interested in buying it in bulk. My understanding is that radios are supposed to be the next big thing, and we're getting in on the ground floor. There will be a lot of start up costs, so we may not see much of a profit for a while, but I have a strong feeling that we are going to do quite alright for ourselves. _

_Bella, it never would have struck me that heating the formula would change the properties of the glue so much. You are pure genius and I'll never forget. As soon as we become profitable, I'll be sending more checks. Sorry I can't write much more today, things are very hectic, but everyone in Forks is doing well, and we all miss you._

_Sincerely,_

_Tyler Crawley_

_President, STIC Glue Co._

I stared at Edward, and he stared at the letter.

"This is…impossible. Isn't it? This can't be real."

Edward was very quiet.

"Edward? Are you ok? It's quite a shock, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes. Very much so. I'm very, very…proud of you. I always knew how smart you were, but this is…amazing."

He looked at me and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Edward, please tell me what you're thinking."

He took my hands in his. "This is…something big. It gives you…options…that you didn't have before."

"What do you mean _options_?"

"I mean that you could…do _anything_ now. Anything you wanted. You don't have to…"

He finally looked up at me. His green eyes were looked like they were drowning in ancient sadness and I swear I could hear his heart breaking.

"Edward! Do you think that now that I have a check that I would…that I could…leave you?"

He closed his eyes. "You could."

"How can you even think that? "

"No Bella, it's not…I don't _want_ to think that... I _don't_ think that…I just…"

"Do you _want_ me to leave?"

He looked at me, his eyes were watery. "Never. I never want you to leave me."

He pulled me over to his lap, wrapping his arms around me tightly and rubbing his nose and lips on my face.

"I could _never_ leave you Edward, you are my whole world. You're everything Edward. _Everything_."

We held each other for a long time. It was like seeing one another for the first time, without all the worries and doubts and circumstances. We were finally just Bella and Edward. Two people who loved each other to the depths of our souls.

Edward started placing little butterfly kisses all over my face, and I was just basking in it. Between kisses he said: "We can set up a bank account for you. There are all kinds of things you can do with that much money."

It didn't even take me half a second to answer him: "Only if it's _our_ bank account. This would probably pay your way through college, wouldn't it?"

He gave me a big smile, "Whatever you want. It would also pay for _your _way through college, too."

Before Edward, college was my dream. I always pictured myself, first sitting in the huge classrooms of a university, then writing, or perhaps teaching. That was going to be my life. Now the dream could be a reality. I could be a self sufficient, modern woman.

I knew that I should have had a choice to make, however it was made for me the minute Edward entered my life. He is my future. My family would be my future.

"I'm not too sure Mr. Masen. With all of those _kisses_ you've been giving me, I can just imagine walking down the halls of a college when I'm sure to be in the _family_ way."

I thought he would laugh or make a joke about what I said, but he didn't. If I ever doubted that Edward loved me before, that feeling disappeared with the look that was in his eyes, and I saw everything there in those depths. Our future, our children, growing up and older together—and I wanted it. It was so much _more_ than I ever fathomed.

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The spring sun was casting rays through the leaded glass window, throwing a rainbow of colors against Edward's face, making him look like he was sent down to me from the heavens. Our lips softly met in a lover's kiss; more meaningful than passion, and more than just physical, it was a spiritual promise. We were giving ourselves to each other, both of us accepting without conditions.

We sat like that in silence for a while, just being close and holding each other. We began to kiss a little bit more and Edward's eyes popped open wide.

"What?" I asked.

"We'll be married the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

A look of dread crossed over his features.

"What's wrong?"

"I never…we never…finished our…talk."

"What talk?"

"About how a woman…you…would become…pregnant."

_He said that word again!_

"Oh…that."

I debated. Should I tell him that Esme told me or not? Then I thought, maybe he doesn't know himself? No, he seems to know. I think. Wait…maybe he has already…

"Edward! Have you ever…you never…did you?"

"No! No, of course not!"

"You sure?"

He laughed. "Of course I'm sure. Do you think I would not remember?"

He had a point. I decided to have pity on him and tell him the truth.

"Actually, Esme explained it to me."

He looked shocked. "When?"

Oops, I wasn't expecting that question.

"Um…not too long ago."

He stared at me.

"You knew the last time I tried to explain it, didn't you?"

I shook my head. "Uh-uh."

He smirked. Then he lifted one eyebrow. He scared me.

"Why Isabella Marie Masen, you little vixen. I thought you were a little too calm that night."

I was entirely caught red handed.

"Bella, why don't you tell _me_ what _you've_ learned?"

I panicked and started to jump off of his lap, but he was too quick.

His voice got deep. "Bet I know something she _didn't_ tell you."

My voice cracked. "What?"

He had a devilish look on his face which was a complete turnaround from the angel he looked like just minutes before.

"I read this interesting book while I was in France."

"Huh?" I was not expecting to hear about a book. At all.

"I had purchased this brand new book to read on the train ride to Germany. It was called _Private Lindner's Letters: Censored and Uncensored _and he used a term in there that I had never heard of called _French Kissing._ Since I was surrounded by Frenchmen, I asked what the term meant."

"Oh, what does it mean?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to describe. It's a very…_sensual_ type of kissing."

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hm. Actually, it sounds very intriguing."

"Oh."

He began fiddling with my hair. He took the ends of a few strands and began absentmindedly brushing them over his lips.

"I was thinking that maybe we should give it a try, and see what the big deal about it is."

"Yeah?"

"You like to kiss, don't you?"

I nodded emphatically. "A lot."

He chuckled and leaned down to place a few soft kisses to my lips.

"That's nice" I said.

"It is" He agreed.

Then, he took the tip of his tongue and brushed it against my lips, keeping his eyes on mine the whole time to gauge my reaction. I smiled. He smiled back.

I was going to be bold.

"Am I allowed to try that?"

He smiled wider. "I was hoping that you would."

I put my hands up around his neck and lifted up an inch and slowly moved my tongue across his lips, too. It _was_ sensual and I liked it.

"There's more you know."

"Oh?"

"Would you like me to continue?"

I nodded, not imagining what else there could be.

"Relax your mouth, ok?"

I did.

He leaned in again, but instead of licking my lips, he poked his tongue between them. _Holy crow!_ I was shocked and froze for a moment. He smiled at me and wiggled his eyebrows and I felt a bit more relaxed.

"Your turn." He said with a smile, then put his lips to mine. I poked my tongue between his lips. After a second, I felt his lips part and then his tongue touched mine. I think a bolt of lightning ran from my tongue to the tips of my feet. My toes actually curled.

His tongue slowly inched its way past my lips and teeth and into my mouth. He began caressing my tongue with his. It was beyond heavenly. I had no idea what to do. After a minute he whispered "kiss me back". So I did. We took turns kissing each other, touching, tasting, and rubbing tongues, and then we began kissing at the same time. I felt like I was falling. I couldn't get enough. His taste was better that I could have ever imagined and I just wanted to eat him up.

We kissed and kissed and kissed. I didn't realize that I wasn't breathing until Edward pulled away and began kissing my ear—_French style_. He whispered "Do you like that love?"

"Mmmmm. Do you?"

"You taste incredible. I want more. I want to kiss and taste every inch of you."

I wanted to pass out. But first, I wanted to _French_ kiss some more.

Edward put his hand under my bum and twisted us so that I was lying flat on the couch. He was lying next to me, leaning over me and holding himself up on one elbow. He put his mouth to mine and immediately slipped his tongue through my lips and began to tease me until I returned the action. I think we were both getting the hang of it. Kissing, then parting to breath, then kissing some more.

Hi free hand was running up and down the length of my body, from my bosom, where he would linger, down to my ankles, and then back again. My skirt was practically wrapped around my waist, but I didn't care.

I especially loved the feel of his hand when he would touch the bare skin of my thigh. He lifted my leg up so it was bent at the knee, and then he slowly slid his hand down, but this time he ran it along the _inside _of my thigh.

He opened his eyes and looked into mine, then moved his hand until he was touching me _down there_. I sucked in a huge breath and held it. His hand didn't move. It just stayed still. Down there. Right on my bloomers. There.

I couldn't hold it back, and I let my breath out and smiled. I couldn't believe my behavior! He grinned back, and started kissing me again and I pulled him closer. Then he started moving his hand. On me. Down there.

Oh…my…god.

My tongue quit working. Everything quit working, except apparently my hips. It was like they had a mind of their own and I was pushing into his hand. I had never felt anything like this in my life. It was like being tickled, but in a really, really _good_ way. I wanted more. It was strange that the more he rubbed me, the more I wanted. It was like… the more he touched me, the more I felt something was…missing? But I had no idea what that _something_ was, only that I wanted it.

Edward must have given up on trying to get me to kiss back. I couldn't.  
So he moved his lips down to my neck. _Holy Mary Mother of God._ Now I was making weird noises. I reached my hand down to his and pressed it in closer. Edward kept saying "I want you, I want you." Didn't he know that he had me? I would always be his.

Edward moved his hand and began reaching for the drawstring of my bloomers, and my dad came into the house.

We stayed perfectly still. I know that I was praying that my dad wouldn't come into the parlor. I could hear him talking to Mrs. Wolinski in the foyer, then they made their way into the kitchen.

Edward and I looked at each other and began laughing—quietly though. He rolled on top of me and slipped his tongue deeply into my mouth for one last kiss, then got up off the couch. He held his hand out to me to help me up. My legs were like jelly and I felt kind of slippery down there. He smoothed my skirt out and turned me around to inspect it to be sure nothing was out of place. He combed his fingers through my hair, mumbling something…I don't know what he was saying, I couldn't quite think right. He looked me over and then sat me back down on the couch, then went to sit in his chair.

I grabbed the newspaper off the coffee table and began fanning myself. My skin felt like it was on fire.

Edward was staring at me, but had an intense, far-away look in his eyes. He rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. One of his knees was bouncing up and down and he looked…agitated?

"Are you ok?" I whispered.

He let out a sigh. "Yep, yep. I just…need a minute."

"That was..."

"Please, just…don't. Please, Bella. Just give me a minute."

I nodded. He started looking around the room—anywhere but at me. I hoped he wasn't mad.

"Are you…angry at me?"

"God, no! No, love, I'm not angry. Don't ever think that."

He seemed sincere, but started looking around the room again.

"What are you thinking about, Edward?"

"Compound interest."

"Oh." He must have been thinking about that check and how much interest it would make in the bank. He's always planning for the future like that. It certainly was the last thing on my mind right now. How he could go from what we were doing a minute ago to compound interest was beyond me.

He stood up and reached for my hand. "Ok, let's go face the music."

"It's just my dad; he won't have any idea about what we were doing."

Edward let out a dark laugh but said nothing as we made our way to the kitchen.

Dad was talking to Mrs. Wolinski, and glanced up when we walked in. His head snapped up and he gave Edward a hard look.

"Where have you two been?" He asked Edward.

Before Edward could speak, I said: "We were just in the parlor talking."

Dad's eyes never moved from Edward's face. "I looked in the parlor when I came in, I didn't see you there."

Edward spoke up, but with an odd voice. "We were in there the whole time. Don't know how you missed us."

Dad gave Edward a look that could kill. Even Mrs. Wolinski looked afraid. Edward backed up a step, looking like he was trying to find a way to escape.

"Dad, please stop it, we never left the parlor. I don't know what you're thinking, so be nice."

His face twisted up and he pointed at me. "You—high tail it over to the Cullen's and I don't want you back here until _after _the wedding." Then he looked back at Edward. "You got anything to say about that?"

Edward shook his head emphatically.

I went over to Mrs. Wolinski and gave her a big hug and told her how happy I was for her. I'd never seen her look so good, her face was just glowing.

Edward never moved from his spot in the doorway. Dad had never taken his eyes off of him. Edward turned to me with a hopeful look in his eyes. "I'll walk you home, Bella." Then he looked back at my dad, as if he was expecting him to object, but he didn't. Edward whisked me out of the kitchen and into the foyer to get our coats.

I smiled. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Edward closed his eyes and took in a breath, but didn't respond. He bundled me up and then put on his own coat, and we walked to the Cullen's together.

**A/N: Here's the answer to my proposal question: The proposal took place in the all glass conservatory. There were people watching them through the glass from the other room, Claire de Lune was playing, and the wind was whipping snow at the outside windows. My vision was that Edward proposed to Bella ****inside**** the 'snow globe'. **

**I'm avoiding the wedding. I suppose writing **_**So, they got married and then**_** wouldn't suffice, huh? Oh, well.**

**I have only read a chapter or two of any other stories since I've been writing this one because I fear that I will accidentally steal someone else's work, and I don't want to do that. I have read some of your profiles though, and lo' and behold, we have a rock star reading this story. I was completely blown away that angrybadgergirl has been reading this and even left me encouraging and helpful reviews. She has a story that I've been reading for quite some time called **_The Naked Guy Upstairs_**. I'm sure most of you have already read it, and it doesn't need pimping out, but I love this story, and I think you would like it, too. It's a modern day, lemony good story with a Bella and Edward that I love. I think you will, too.**

**Thank you angrybadgergirl and everyone else for being incredibly kind and helpful, even if you only leave a smile, I appreciate it. **

**Did you like the French lesson? **


	27. Vows

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 27: Vows **

For a day and a half I was only allowed to see Edward one time. We had never opened the Christmas gift that Alice gave us while Edward was in Europe, so Alice I went over to his house at her insistence. My dad and Alice watched as we opened the package to find a beautiful sheet set. The pillows had intricate embroidered lettering. One had _I M_ and the other had _E M_ stitched onto the edges. I think everyone in the room turned pink except Alice. I wish she had told us to open it privately. I was so embarrassed. Edward and I thanked Alice, but he swiftly took the sheets upstairs, thank heavens.

After that brief encounter, which didn't even include a kiss, I was led back to the Cullen house and warned that it was bad luck to see each other this close to the wedding. To keep myself busy, I made sure that there was always something ready to eat because everyone was coming and going as they finished up their wedding tasks. Just watching all the hubbub was exhausting.

Dad spent most of his time with me, sitting at the kitchen table, talking once in a while and eating constantly. He and Dr. Cullen seemed to get along swimmingly, Dad telling him about some of the wounds on people he came across while on duty, and Dr. Cullen giving advice on how to treat some of the conditions until a doctor could be summoned.

Except for the fact that Edward wasn't allowed over, I had never been so happy. This was the dream I had always envisioned, being surrounded by a big family. Even Rosalie was beginning to feel like a sister to me. Jasper and Emmet spent a lot of time there, too, helping with the preparations. Emmet accompanied Rosalie on several of her errands, although Rosalie kept telling him he was only allowed to join her because she needed someone to carry the heavy items. He didn't see that every time his head was turned a smile would creep over her lips.

Alice was no longer allowed to have any coffee. She was like an engine and I was afraid she would blow at any moment. It was a good thing that Jasper never left her side because his calming demeanor saved her from combustion a time or two. Dr. Cullen had eased up on his restrictions about the two of them being alone together, but just during the pre-wedding preparations. They were both in seventh heaven.

By nine o'clock, everything that could be done, had been done and Rosalie, Emmet and Jasper all went home. The Cullen's all went to bed, planning on getting up before dawn. Dad was reading the evening paper in the parlor and I sat alone at the kitchen table fretting.

It all went by so fast. It was the night before my wedding and I just knew I wasn't ready for it. I thought I was, but now that it was so close, it all became too real. Tomorrow at this time I would be on my honeymoon. Edward and I. Alone. In the same bed. Together. Taking our clothes off. _Holy crow_.

Dad came into the kitchen and put his dish in the sink and joined me at the table. Although I loved the flurry of activity in the Cullen household, the peace I had with my dad felt like being home.

"I guess tomorrow is the big day, huh?"

"Yes."

"I'm sure gonna miss you, Bells."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Dad. So much."

"You know, Edward's an alright guy."

"Don't you mean 'Edwin'?"

We both laughed, but then he got a serious look on his face.

"You sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, I'm positive. He's the one, Dad."

"I kind of get that impression. By the way, he's a nervous wreck over there. "

"You haven't been scaring him, have you?"

He had a shocked look on his face.

"No! Of course not! He just wants everything to be perfect, that's all."

I nodded.

"Bella, I know we're going to be quite a bit farther away from each other than I would like, but I hope that you won't…forget your old dad."

"Never! I'm not sure how to work things out just yet…I mean if I have any…children or anything, but I hope we can visit. I want that, Dad."

"Me, too. Clara…Mrs. Wolinski that is, has a grown son here in the city. He told us that we're always welcome to visit, and I expect that we will."

"You are both always invited here. I can't think of anything I'd like more."

"Clara also mentioned that when you have children, we hope that you'll send them up in the summer. No kid should be stuck in the city all the time, never even having the chance to fish…"

"I'd love that! I'm sure the…children would, too. I'm not sure about the fishing thing, but spending time with you would be great."

We sat in silence again for a minute until Dad stood up.

"I suppose you're going to need some sleep, you've got a big day tomorrow."

"I'm not sure how much sleep I'm going to get tonight, but I know I should at least try."

He gave me a hug at the door. "I love you little girl. I know I don't say it much, but I always have."

"I love you too, Dad. You've always been my rock."

The tears that were brimming my eyes started falling down my face while my dad rocked me in his arms. I didn't want to say goodbye to him. To _us_.

He kissed me on the forehead. "Goodnight sweetheart."

I nodded, unable to get the words out as he walked out the door.

I locked up the house and turned off all the lights and then got into bed. I thought a million things would be running through my brain, but as it was, there was so much in my head that I couldn't focus on any one thing, so I gave up trying. Instead, I gazed at the beams from the full moon as they fell through my window, until my eyelids were too heavy to stay open.

I awoke to Alice bursting into my room. In a sing-song voice she said "Wake up sleepyhead, it's your wedding day and we have to make you the most beautiful bride in creation."

I was instantly awake—and panicky. This is it! This is my wedding day, soon to be my wedding night. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. As observant as Alice was, she completely ignored my panic and led me to the bathroom where a hot bath was ready and waiting.

"Edward doesn't know it, but he bought you a big selection of fancy soaps and bath oils. There are also some new undergarments that I've laid out for you. You have 35 minutes Miss Bride-to-be, so hop to it."

I eyed the bath collection and picked out some soap that smelled like roses and some oil that smelled like freesia since I knew Edward seemed to like that scent. There was a cup of tea next to the tub and after scrubbing my hair I sipped at the tea and relaxed until Alice gave me a five minute warning. She is so bizarre, but I love her all the more for it.

The undergarments she chose were a bit complicated and I wasn't sure I'd get it all together in time. There were snaps and hooks and buttons all over the place. I finally had to let her into the bathroom to help me figure these things out. She handed me a robe when we were done, and dragged me down the hallway into Esme and Carlisle's room.

There were a couple chairs scattered about, and a table with pastries, juices and coffee. Rosalie and Esme were there, each with various items in their hands. I was abruptly seated in a chair, and Rosalie began brushing the snarls out of my hair. Esme fixed a plate for me and informed me that I absolutely had to put something in my stomach, so I choked down a roll. It was organized insanity. They had two curling clamps going—one downstairs on the stove heating up, and another upstairs being used on my hair until it was no longer hot enough to curl. They slipped my stockings on while putting on a bit of makeup; they put jewelry on me while clipping my hair up.

When they were done with me, Alice told me to sit still on the chair and don't dare move while they got themselves ready. I obeyed. She's so bossy! I just closed my eyes, thinking about the first day I saw Edward at the symphony. Who would have ever imagined that he would love me some day?

Before I knew it, Alice and Esme grabbed my arms and lifted me up to stand.

"Are you ready to get married?" Esme asked with a big smile.

I nodded. It was like I was in the middle of a dream. One minute I'm sitting there, and the next minute Carlisle is putting his hand out to help me from his car and lead me into St. Sylvester's Church. I took a deep breath and walked up the steps. Once inside the girls brought me to a room off the back where they double checked me and my dress, making me do a couple of twirls before giving their approval. I was fairly proud of myself for not falling on my face and ripping my gown.

There was a knock on the door and after Esme went to answer it, she turned and said "It's time". My dad walked in wearing a brand new dark blue suit, looking more handsome than I'd ever seen him. The girls all gave me a quick peck on the cheek before leaving my dad and me alone.

"My little girl is all grown up. You look like a princess."

I blushed. Of course my dad would say that.

"It's not too late to change your mind…"

"Dad!"

"Okay, okay, just wanted to be check. Are you ready for this?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

He placed my hand in the crook of his arm and we walked out of the room where Alice and Jasper were waiting for us. When we reached the archway into the body of the church the music changed to the Wedding March. Alice hugged me and she and Jasper began walking down the aisle.

There was a long white runner leading down the aisle to the altar. On the end of each pew was a bunch of flowers with long white ribbons flowing from them. My eyes drifted to the front of the church were there must have been over fifty people sitting, which was a surprise. Standing on the right side of the altar were Edward and Dr. Cullen. Edward was wearing his army uniform. I wanted to run up to him and bury my face into his chest, forgetting everything else but him.

Father Seth was there and much to my delight, so was Father Mike who had married us the first time. Both of the Father's gave me such big smiles. You could see the happiness radiate from them.

After my father put my hand in Edward's I wasn't sure of everything that was said, just that I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I followed Edward's lead, bowing my head for prayers, kneeling and standing. We finally turned and faced each other.

We recited the rite of the nuptials; we were asked if we had come of our own free will to give ourselves to each other in marriage. We were asked if we would honor and love one another as husband and wife for the rest of our lives, and if we would accept children from God lovingly and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church… Of course we both agreed.

When it came time to exchange rings and say "I do" we both had tears in our eyes. I was so glad that Edward talked me in to re-marrying him. He was right; he should have been awake for our wedding. Not only that, I wanted to tell him in front of God and our friends that I loved him, and that I meant everything that I promised. There was no doubt that I would stand by him and love him for all eternity.

Before Father Mike finished saying "You may kiss the bride" our lips were already touching. I grabbed his shoulders and never wanted to let go. Edward finally pulled away and I realized that there was clapping and cheering coming from the pews. I'm sure the shade of pink on my face was lovely in contrast to the white of my gown. Edward helped me down from the altar where everyone surrounded us and gave us hugs, which wasn't easy since I refused to let go of Edward's hand.

I hadn't even noticed that a photographer had a tripod set up on the side, where we posed for a few photos. Afterwards, Edward led me back down the aisle and once outside we were barraged with handfuls of rice. A beautiful horse drawn carriage covered with streamers and paper flowers was waiting at the curb. It seemed like a bit much for a two block journey, but the driver drove us around the park. It was a beautiful spring day, and people came out of their homes and waved to us as we passed by. A group of teenage boys were standing on a corner and began whistling and lifting their fists in the air. Edward and I both blushed at what they were suggesting.

Edward put his arm around me in a protective fashion and I scooted as close to him as I could. My goodness he looked so handsome. The sun shone on his hair, bringing out the different hues of brown and red, just like the first time I saw him. The way he was looking at me was like a reflection of my own feelings. There was so much love in his eyes. We couldn't exactly kiss while in the carriage, but he leaned down and rubbed his lips against my forehead when nobody was looking.

The driver stopped in front of Edward's house where everyone was already waiting on the porch. Edward helped me down from the carriage and promptly scooped me up and carried me. I hid my face in his shoulder but I could still hear whistles and cheers which were now coming from our friends. He finally set me down in the foyer, but tipped me over and kissed me full on the lips in front of everyone. This was going to be a long day.

The house was decorated with hundreds of flowers and ribbons everywhere. How Esme and Alice did all this was beyond belief. When I asked Alice later, she told me that Edward's checks convinced the merchants to take care of what we wanted in a hurry.

People I didn't know were coming up and offering their best wishes to me and congratulating Edward. I finally met Mrs. Volturi and could not help but adore her. She kept having to wipe tears from her eyes, she was so emotional about love it seems. She nudged a man behind her, speaking in Italian to him. When he turned I was startled to see that it was _him_. The man who was Edward's porch the night that Royce…Oh, my, gosh! The man smiled at me and took my hand and kissed the back of it, telling me what a pleasure it was to finally meet me. Instinct told me pull my hand back, but I didn't want to be rude. Edward joined us and shook his hand. He told me that Mrs. Volturi was kind enough to have cooked all of the food for our guests. It did smell awfully good, whatever it was.

The French doors leading to the music room were open and I could hear someone playing the piano and saw that people were beginning to congregate there. Edward put his hand at the small of my back to lead the way but stopped when the doorbell rang. We turned to see who else showed up when my dad opened the door.

It was Mrs. Mallory.

Edward walked into the foyer.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I believe I left a dish here that I loaned your mother. I'm making a casserole and need it back, if you would be so kind."

"I'm sorry, but you've caught us at a bad time. I'll be glad to reimburse you whatever the cost is to replace it."

"I didn't realize that you had an affair happening today?"

"You didn't notice the wedding gown that my wife is wearing?"

"Oh, is that a wedding gown, I wasn't aware…"

Edward let out a dark laugh. "Yes, I believe my wife is wearing a traditional wedding gown, most astute people would notice it in a heartbeat."

"Certainly one would wonder why someone who claimed to be already married would require such attire. Especially after living together for six months."

"Ahhh…you see Mrs. Mallory, I love my wife so much, that I married her twice. I may marry her again in six months if I so chose. If I do, you won't be invited to that wedding either."

"You are simply rude, young man. People like you give the decent people in this neighborhood a bad name."

Suddenly my dad perked up. "What did you say?"

Mrs. Mallory repeated herself.

"That's what I thought you said." My dad replied. "That is exactly what was said in a letter I received from some anonymous decent person."

"I'm certain there are plenty of decent Americans who feel the same way I do."

"Since I never actually used the term 'decent American' I'm going to have to assume that it was indeed you who wrote that letter, trying to malign my daughter's reputation. I'll have you know that these two kids have been married for six months, not living in sin as you so put it. I'll also have you know that if you ever say a bad word about my daughter again, I'll personally come back to Chicago and let everyone know exactly what _your_ daughter was doing in the alley two nights ago."

Mrs. Mallory turned magenta. Everyone in the room either had their jaw hanging open or was covering their mouths to keep from laughing.

She tried to muster enough dignity to walk out of the house but couldn't manage to get the door open. Edward stepped up and opened it for her, saying "allow me". She stormed out of the house and down the porch steps. The room erupted in laughter.

"Dad, how did you know?"

"I heard some noise when I was walking over to Mrs. Wolinski's the other night and went to investigate. Let's just say that if she was my daughter she would never step foot out of the house again."

I was proud of my dad and Edward for sticking up for me, but I was going to frame our marriage certificate and place it on the mantle just the same.

Esme brought over a champagne glass and instructed me to drink it down so I would relax, and it worked a little. The second glass did the trick. Soon I was fully enjoying myself, even dancing with Edward as everyone looked on didn't bother me. People kept tapping their glasses which meant that Edward and I had to kiss. A couple of times I forgot where I was and almost kissed French style. Ooopsie.

A couple of times I caught Alice and Jasper looking all lovey-dovey at each other. I couldn't wait for them to get married, and I was certain they couldn't either. Rosalie danced a few times with Emmet, and they looked like they belonged together. Dad and Mrs. Wolinski looked love struck, never leaving each other's side. Carlisle and Esme looked positively in love, just like newlyweds. I hoped that Edward and I still looked at each other that way after being married for so long.

We ate an absolutely delicious meal followed by an ornately decorated wedding cake and lots more champagne. My dad made a toast while we ate.

"I'm a man of few words. Bella, you're the light in my life, and I wish you all the happiness in the world, because you deserve it and he seems to make you happy. My only objection is that I didn't have you long enough. Edward, you've proven that you can take care of my daughter, and I respect you for that, but remember, it's only a five day train trip to Chicago. Oh, and when you have kids, be sure to give them normal names, nothing too oddball, ok."

Of course his speech was met with more clinking of glasses and Edward and I had to kiss again.

After the cake, the music slowed its pace and people began dwindling out the doors, giving us hugs as they left. My father and Mrs. Wolinski came up to me, letting me know that they had to catch the train. Dad could see how much his leaving affected me and made our goodbyes short, saying Carlisle was waiting for them in his car and they had to hurry. Edward walked down the steps to the car and Dad took him aside and they exchanged some words. Dad put his hand on Edward's shoulder and nodded, and then they shook hands. It seemed a little like the changing of the guards and I was being turned over to a new protector. When Edward came back in, he pulled me into his arms and held me tight. I knew I was in the hands of the right man.

There were only a few people left in the house, most of the women were busy cleaning up the plates and glasses scattered about the house. Edward pulled me into the music room and sat me down next to him on the piano bench and began to play Claire de Lune. I leaned into his shoulder and he rubbed his cheek on the top of my head as he played. The last rays of the setting sun were slanting through the leaded window panes, creating a rainbow of colors in the room.

When Edward finished the song, he leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss before I caught myself and pulled back.

"Ooops. I shouldn't have done that." I said.

"Why not? There's no one here."

I took a look around noticed that there was no one around and the house was silent. I was alone with my husband, it was twilight, and we were officially married.

"Have I told you how incredibly beautiful you look?"

"Several times."

"You do…you look…so…tasty."

No one had ever said anything like that to me before and it scared me, but in a good way. Edward scooped me up onto his lap and said "May I kiss the bride Mrs. Masen?" He didn't have to ask twice. We started out slowly, with little kisses to each other's lips, and then it became more impassioned. Edward got his hand caught in my veil, and the piano keys were making an awful racket every time he leaned me back. Suddenly he pulled away and picked me up, knocking the piano bench over in the process. Instead of putting me down to set it upright, he just walked right over it and carried me up the stairs. He set me down inside his bedroom. I instantly noticed the sheet set that Alice had given us was on the bed.

"I'm just going to get ready for…bed. Esme put all of your things in here so…um…I'll just be a minute, then you can…get...ready."

I nodded, suddenly feeling very unsure of myself. He left the room and I looked around for my things. There was a long dresser that had my hairbrush and a picture of my dad on it. I laid the picture down, not really wanting to have my dad watching me tonight, that's for certain. The drawers were filled with my belongings, so I plucked out my nightgown and waited for Edward to return. I no sooner sat on the edge of the bed before he walked back into the room.

"Wow, that was quick!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Was it? I didn't have much to do…"

"Well, apparently you're not a girl. I have so many hooks and snaps and buttons that I might be in there for while."

He looked at me with his head tilted sideways like he was trying to figure out where all the things I mentioned could be hiding. I held my nightgown closely to my chest, feeling a little vulnerable.

"Oh, um, just take your time. I'll be waiting. Right here."

He nodded towards the bed and I scurried past him to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Thank goodness it was a large bathroom because I needed to pace. My fists were clenching and unclenching, trying to force myself to relax. I thought about all the things Esme warned me about, and worried that I would forget something important. I wished she was here so I could get a refresher. I hoped that Edward had a good idea of how to do this, because I couldn't be counted on for getting it right.

**A/N Sorry about the delay. One of my children is going through a very rough time, your kind thoughts would be very much appreciated. I will respond to your previous reviews, I just haven't had it in me…**

**Anyways…I actually do have the wedding night almost completed, I just have to proof and tweak and make sure I'm not going to make anyone have to crane their neck to visualize what's going on. You know what I mean ;o **** I can tell you that it's the longest chapter yet. I kind of threw this one together last night, I hope it's not too disjointed. **


	28. Man and Wife

**ATTENTION: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC ADULT MATERIAL. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 DO NOT READ THIS. ASK YOUR MOTHER TO READ IT FIRST AND LET HER DECIDE.**

**Also, if you are inclined to report stories for graphic content, think it over before doing so. This chapter is an intricate part of the story, which is about old fashioned values and LOVE. The courts have this to say about pornography "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it." This isn't pornography. If you think you might be offended, you are welcome to bow out of the story.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 28: Man and Wife **

I took a good look in the bathroom mirror. Alice had really done wonders with me and I suppose the old sayings were right; every bride looks beautiful on their wedding day. I took all of the pins from my hair and it cascaded down my shoulders in soft ringlets. Alice had applied all sorts of lotions to my skin and it looked clear and smooth.

I had my choice of the nightgowns Alice bought me when we went shopping months ago. At the time, I wished that I had a reason to wear one of them, now I was scared silly. No way in heck could I wear the silky blue one, and the two piece pajama set didn't seem right for a wedding night. I was afraid that the white cotton nightgown I had chosen would be too thin, but it seemed to cover me up pretty well. There were five little bows down the front holding the bodice together, starting from the top of the scooped neck to just above my waist. I didn't realize how form fitting it was around my hips and that the hem barely reached the bottom of my knees, but I didn't think Edward would be put off at how immodest it was. I wished I had a decent robe to wear over it, though.

Of course I spilled the tooth powder all over chest, at least I would smell nice and minty. I could barely get the lid back on the tin because my hands were shaking so badly. It wasn't right that I should be so nervous, Edward and I had done just about everything that a man and woman could do together, except that one little thing. I mean, my gosh, we touched tongues together for heaven's sake. I suppose we would have to be…naked. Hmm? I wondered how long it would take? One minute…three hours?

Esme said there would be some mild pain and a little blood the first time. Knowing me it would be excruciating pain and gushes of blood everywhere. I hoped neither one of us would get ill from such a scene. Agh! I should have asked Esme more questions when I had the chance.

My hand gripped the doorknob for dear life. What I was about to do would change me forever. I took a deep breath and pulled the door open, trying to put on a brave face. I walked down the hallway and then into his—_our_ bedroom. He was sitting up in bed, his legs were bent at the knees and his hands resting atop of them. He was wearing a silky blue or black pajama set and the sight of him made my mouth drop.

There were candles scattered about the room, flickering warm shadows on the walls and across Edward's face, making him look ethereal. He had placed vases of flowers here and there while I was getting ready and it smelled wonderful.

He put his hand over his heart and said "You take my breath away."

I couldn't move from the doorway. I kept willing my legs to do something, but they wouldn't. _Smile, Bella, keep it light. _My face wouldn't respond either, I got one side of my mouth to curl up, but the other side was a no go.

Edward must have seen the fear on my face so he slid out of the bed and came to the doorway. He took my hand and sat me down next to him on the edge of the bed. He brushed his hand across my cheek. "Sweetheart, you look so beautiful."

"So do you."

He gave me a warm smile, certainly aware of how nervous I was.

"We have the rest of our lives together. There's no law that requires us to rush things. Why don't we just sit here and talk for a minute?"

I nodded.

He continued. "I've thought about this day, and I know this is a monumental day…and night for us. I want you to know that I love you, no matter what, so there's no need to worry about anything at all. You are the most important thing in my life. I don't want to ever do anything that makes you nervous or uncomfortable, hm? If you ever feel that way, I want you to promise to tell me."

I let out a shaky "Ok."

He gave me a squeeze around my waist and rubbed his thumb on my cheek, tilting my head so I would look at him.

"Furthermore, you are my wife. I'm yours, and you are mine. We are an extension of each other now and we were made to be together. I just got the better part of that deal because you are simply the loveliest creature on earth. You are to never be worried that I don't find you beautiful from head to toe because that is impossible."

His eyes sparkled in the candlelight and I thanked God that I had such a good man.

"I tell you what, let's get under the covers where it's warm. Hmm?"

He got in first and held the cover up for me to join him. I laid down next to him on my back, staring up at the ceiling, and he covered me up to my shoulders with the blanket.

"Comfortable?"

I nodded.

"Would it be alright if I put my arm around you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you may."

He turned to his side leaning on his elbow.

"I love you, Isabella."

"I love you, Edward."

"You sure look kissable, sweetheart."

I giggled at that.

He leaned in closer and started kissing me and I forgot for a minute that I was scared. He kissed my lips repeatedly, and then pecked kisses all over my face before returning to my mouth.

He whispered onto my lips. "I could kiss you all night and never get tired."

Were we just going to kiss tonight? I could manage that.

I was getting impatient for some of those French kisses, so I poked the tip of my tongue between his lips. His lips wrapped around my tongue and pulled it into his mouth. God I loved kissing like that! It was like a jolt of electricity. I liked the taste of him, I liked the way our lips got wet and slid all over each other, I liked having my tongue inside of him and especially liked it when his was inside of me. It was so…intimate.

He pulled back for a second "You are a fabulous kisser. _smack _I could _smack_ kiss you _smack_ every minute _smack_ of every _smack_ day."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to pull him closer. He was a bit stiff, so I didn't have as much success as I desired. He finally got the message and moved so his shoulder was over me and our chests were touching. I was sure he could feel everything through our pajamas. I have to admit that I liked the feel of it. A lot.

He began licking and kissing down my neck and throat, I would have missed his lips against mine if what he was doing didn't feel so incredibly good. I put my arm around his waist and pulled him nearer, then I draped my leg over his thigh and wrapped my calf around his. Instead of stopping things from progressing, like he normally does, he smiled and put his arm around my waist pulling me in, and slid his leg further between mine. He wet his lips with his tongue, and slid his hand up my side, stopping at my bodice, and he began to massage my bosom. I could feel the heat from his fingers through my nightgown. His thumb was rubbing my nipple and his fingers were gently gripping me. He stopped for a second and pulled the ribbon of the top bow on my nightgown and started to kiss the skin as far down as he could reach. Then he licked the uppermost part of my bosom.

A look came over his face and he grinned. "Mmmm, Ipana Tooth Powder, I wasn't expecting that."

I was a little embarrassed, but it _was _pretty funny, so I laughed along with him.

Then he untied the next bow and parted the material. He brushed his lips along my chest from one side to the other, trailing soft kisses as he went.

He pulled on the next ribbon, and instead of waiting to untie the last two bows, he surprised me by pulling them, too. He rubbed his palm across my chest, parting my nightgown in the process. He could see _everything_. He looked into my eyes… "So beautiful…" Then he made a sort of yummy sound, and began to kiss my mouth again. His hand started stroking my bare chest, his skin was a little bit rough against mine, but the manly texture felt so right and…good. He took his time, petting, caressing and taking the very tips between his fingers and softly rubbing and tugging on them. He was still kissing me, but moved to my neck, then shoulder, then my collarbone, all the way down to my bosom. He placed little kisses all over my chest. It was incredibly sweet. And then…_Oh, my God_…he began to kiss my bare bosom _FRENCH _style!

His wet, pink tongue was making circles around my nipple and…he practically took the whole thing in his mouth, sucking it while still swirling his tongue! This was completely unexpected. All of the sudden I realized that while he was doing this, he was looking up at me! I closed my mouth right away and when he chuckled at me it tickled even more. He let go of that one with a big slurping noise, and went for the other. He had his mouth filled with one, and his hand was squeezing and rubbing the other. Now don't ask me why, but while he was doing this, I was also tingling _down there_. None of this made any sense.

I was feeling lost and dizzy from what he was doing. I put my hands on his back, not really sure what to do with them. I dared to move down farther. My hand followed the slope down, and then it started curving back up to his backside. I was kind of afraid to move and lower, but he was always placing his hands on my behind, so if figured it would be permissible for me to do the same, plus I really had been wanting to feel it for a long time. I had never felt anything quite like it and had never realized how much I would enjoy simply running my hand over it. The silky pajamas he was wearing felt so smooth and cool in my hand, and glided over his skin. Mmm…mmm…mmm, I loved having free reign to touch his body like this. My hand reached down further and ran down the back of his thighs, pulling him closer to me. The feel of his muscles was intoxicating. When I ran my hands back up I got a little bolder and may have lingered longer, finding hidden treasures to each and every contour of his body. When I reached his behind again I gave one cheek a squeeze, then another because, wowie, it felt nice! My hands found their way up to his neck, stopping to enjoy the way the muscles along his shoulder blade flexed as he was caressing me.

Then began the slow descent down _his_ chest. The soft, curly little hairs where his top was unbuttoned felt so nice and masculine. I wondered how good it would feel against me when we…got closer. I went down a bit more and felt the pebbles of his nipples poking through the satiny material. I spent a bit of time there, enjoying the feel of it. I could hear him take a deep breath and then feel the whoosh of his exhale against the wet skin on my bosom, causing a pleasant pins and needles sensation.

My hands moved lower, feeling the definition of his stomach. I never realized how intricate the male body actually was. It was hard and bumpy, but in a fascinating way. With the palm of my hand, I dropped lower to feel the dip of his belly button and—_sweet mother of God!_ I froze and my eyes popped open. That was no belly button that my hand bumped into.

Edward jumped. "It's ok Bella, you don't have to go any further!"

"No, no…I just…wasn't expecting…it…to be…so…high."

Edward put his hands to his face. "When a man is…aroused…it gets…it goes…higher."

That's what Esme meant when she said "When the little soldier salutes…!"

"Oh…I just wasn't expecting it…yet."

"Bella, you don't have to—"

"You don't want me to?"

"No! I mean…yes! I…I don't know. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"I'm comfortable." _I was entirely not comfortable_.

Edward looked a little flushed.

"You look a little warm."

He nodded. "Would you mind if I took off my shirt?"

"Mmmmm"

He kneeled on the bed next to me and began to unbutton his pajama top. His…thing…little soldier or whatever, was about to poke out of his pajama bottoms. I tried not to stare, but for heaven's sake! I could barely even breathe.

I looked up at his face finally and I realized then that he was a little nervous, too, so I sat up and began to help his with his pajama top. I stopped before I reached the bottom button and let him do that one himself...that…you-know-what…was kind of frightening. He pulled his shirt off and threw it over the side of the bed. When I saw his bare torso, the only thing that would come to my mind was the words '_mine, mine, mine, mine_…'.

I was mesmerized. We were kneeling, facing each other and I could not help but to put both hands against his chest and run them up and down—but not too far down—feeling all of his muscles. He put his hands to my hips, pulling me in for a kiss, his you-know-what poking me in the belly. It kind of tickled and I might have let out a giggle. Edward maneuvered me by my hips and laid me back down on the bed, his body almost entirely covering mine.

"Now where was I? Oh, hmm."

He started kissing me again. The feel of his bare chest against my own felt so pleasant that I just wanted to rub myself all over him, and I might have, but just a little. He repositioned us to our sides again and I instantly missed the feel of his weight on me. I think he did it because he got better access to my bosom—he really liked touching it. I know how much I enjoyed the feeling, but couldn't imagine why he seemed to get so much pleasure from doing it. I never actually told him how much I liked it, but it's like he could read my mind or something.

He reached down and pulled my leg back over him and put his leg back in-between mine. This time though, he slid his hand back up along my leg, _under_ my nightgown. He moved his hand up and down my thigh several times, stopping at my behind and lingering there, rubbing and squeezing. His hand came up to my hip along the edge of my drawers, dipping just the tips of his fingers underneath and gliding the across my stomach until he reached my belly button. He removed his fingers, but slipped his hand down until it was fully between my legs. My eyes were wide open, but his were closed and his face looked so…blissful? I don't know. His hand started moving up and down slowly along my whoosie, and his middle finger pressed in, applying more pressure.

Part of me wanted to spread my legs farther apart for him to get better access, and the other part of me wanted to clamp my legs together and hold his hand hostage. It wouldn't have mattered anyways because I seemed to have lost the muscle function in my legs. He continued rubbing me and it felt heavenly. Edward touching me with such familiarity made me feel like I belonged to him. It was strange to think that I would ever want, let alone find such comfort in this type of thinking, but I did. I wanted him to touch me everywhere.

When he moved his hand up to my stomach again, I was so disappointed! That was until he pulled the drawstring and slipped his hand down _inside_ my drawers. He cupped me for a second, and then just stopped. He opened his eyes and tried to smile, but didn't quite make it. It was like something in him changed before my very eyes. I couldn't place what it was exactly, but it made me feel like I was getting a glimpse of him I hadn't seen before and I loved him even more for it.

He started moving his hand and dipped a finger down. It was slick and very…wet. I started to panic, wondering why it was so wet, but Edward started moving his hand up and down a little faster and pressed a couple fingers down, he began to hum and murmur how good it felt. And it did feel good. So good. So very, very, very good. It all felt good, but when he reached a certain point on top, it was like having a tiny spark hit me over and over again.

His hand stilled and then he…put a finger…inside of me. It was the strangest sensation I had ever experienced. My eyes shot open and my tongue quit working.

Edward noticed my reaction and removed his hand. He brought it to my cheek, _what was that smell_, and made me look at him.

"Relax, love. It's just me. Close your eyes and just go with the feeling, ok?"

I nodded. He looked at his hand on my cheek and leaned in closer and…sniffed it. _Oh my God!_ But then he wiggled his eyebrows and licked his lips before delving his tongue into my mouth kissing me thoroughly. His hand reached back down into my drawers without any of the preliminaries, and he deftly put not one, but two fingers inside of me while his thumb rubbed along on the outside.

I closed my eyes, relaxing into our kiss like I was told, and did it feel good! His fingers were moving in and out at a nice steady rhythm, and as strange as it may seem, it was kind of making a wet slapping sort of sound. Edward's hips soon began pressing into my side in time with his hand movements and I could feel his you-know-what against my leg. Instead of being terrified, as I probably should have, I started to rub my leg against it. I thought it would have been smooth, and soft, but even through his pajamas, I could feel lines or bumps or something, plus it was hard.

All these sensations, being kissed, Edwards finger's inside of me and his thumb rubbing me, his penis, _I can't believe I even thought that word_, against my leg, his leg between mine, the bed making squeaking sounds over and over, and Edward breathing so heavy, was just overwhelming. I think he realized it, and he slowed down and removed his hand from between my legs and brought it up to my stomach.

His eyelids were heavy and dark when he broke our kiss and looked at me. His voice was so deep, and dare I say…sexy?

"Do you think, um…are you ready…you think?"

_Am I ready? _

"Am I ready for what?"

He opened his mouth, but didn't seem to be able to find the words.

"Oh…ready. Uh…yes, yes, I think I am. Are you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready. You sure you're ready?"

Was I? Part of me never wanted to stop—ever. Being close to my husband was all I wanted in the world, and consummating our union was the ultimate promise of love. He would be giving me his seed, and I could be conceiving our child tonight. Even though I was afraid, I wanted this, I wanted him. Of that, I was certain.

"Yes, Edward, I'm sure."

He looked down at me through his long lashes, and I could see how much he loved me. He knew what this meant, too.

His hand moved from my belly and he began to remove my drawers. They caught a little on my backside so I lifted up while he tugged. We both let out nervous laughs. He brought them down my legs and past my feet. He held them up, staring at them like he didn't know what to do with them, so I grabbed them and tossed them to the floor. He shook his head a little and smiled. He started to remove the straps of my nightgown down my shoulders, so I sat up to help. He got up on his knees and pulled it up over my head. When he was done, he began to remove his pajama bottoms. I expected him to have underwear underneath, so what I saw made my jaw drop. I knew that I felt it—against my legs that is—and it seemed…large, but it was far beyond my expectations. The term _little_ soldier was a big fat lie. I turned my head quickly, so as not to stare, and he got under the covers and pulled the sheet over us. I thought about how his fingers felt inside of me, and how tight it was…and I didn't think this was going to work. I mean, I really didn't think it would fit. There must be some kind of mistake. Maybe we wouldn't fit together right.

Edward pulled me into his side and kissed me. He was poking into my side, too. Was I supposed to do something? I wasn't sure, but even if I was, I wasn't positive that I could get my limbs to cooperate. I gave up on the thought and just enjoyed feeling of his skin against mine. He rolled me onto my back and moved over me, using his knee to part my legs and settling between them, but keeping most of his weight off of me. I could feel his entire torso against my own and it was hard and soft and smooth and rough all at the same time. His muscles were taut and it was the first time I ever realized just how different his body was from mine, how masculine he was.

"I think you're ready. Are you ready?" He asked me, although I could see in his face that he was praying I'd say 'yes'.

Was I? Yes, yes I was ready. I wanted…something…very, very much. I nodded and pulled his face to mine and kissed him with everything I had and he matched my kiss with the same amount of passion. While we were kissing, Edward put his hand down between us and began to fondle me again, then he started to rub his…self…on me for a minute. We had stopped kissing and that's all I could hear was the two of us breathing. He put the tip at my, um, entrance, and started nudging with his hips, but stopped short.

"Love, you know this might hurt just a little…I'm sorry."

"I know, Edward, but millions of women have lived through it, I'll be ok."

He chuckled and shook his head. It was good to see him relax for a second, he was so tense. That relaxation lasted only a moment though, he got a determined look on his face and then pushed a little harder.

Whoa Nelly! Oh my, my, my, that was a little…tight. Yes, that's the word, tight. Very, very tight. Mm-hm. For some reason, I wanted to snap my legs closed, but of course Edward was between them, so I couldn't.

I tried to look past the discomfort and realized that Edward was _inside_ of me! The man that I loved more than life itself was _in_ me. He's really mine. I wanted to cry at the thought but I knew if I did he would think he was hurting me, and it wasn't pain, just…very…tight.

"You ok?" His voice was so deep.

I had no breath to make a reply, so I nodded. He nodded back and then closed his eyes and pushed his hips again. It wasn't as bad as I had expected, I guess the first part was the hardest. He kept nudging in, deeper and deeper, occasionally pulling back and then moving forward until it was like he went about as far as he could go. It wasn't painful really. I laughed at myself for worrying so much.

"Are you doing ok?" He asked.

I was able to find my voice. "Yes, I'm fine. I like having you so close to me."

He placed little kisses on my face.

"I'm going to push in with a little more force now so you may want to hold on tight to my shoulders. I've been told…I think that the pain will only last a minute."

Wait a minute. There's more? How can there be more? Of course there's more, I wouldn't be me if this was going to be this easy.

I did as he said, I gripped his shoulders, squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath. He pushed. It hurt, but not badly at all. It was less painful than stubbing your toe.

Edward stilled. "Bella, Bella, are you ok baby? Are you ok?"

Oh, my eyes were still squeezed in anticipation of searing pain. I opened them up and saw real fear in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm ok." I gave him a reassuring smile although my legs were shaking like I had absolutely no muscle control whatsoever.

Relief swept over his face and he let out a warm breath over my skin.

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know you do. You know that I love you, don't you?"

He put his face into my neck and nodded. I pulled my fingernails out of his shoulders and began to rub his back and kiss his neck. His back was a slick with sweat and my hands just glided over his skin. Between his scent, which was so masculine, the weight of his body pressing down on me, and him being so deep inside of me, it made me feel completely safe and loved, and I reviled in the feeling. Out of all of the girls in the world, it was me he loved. _Take that Lauren Mallory!_ He was my husband in every sense of the word.

Edward slowly began moving his hips again. With each movement he would let out a gasp of air into my neck…and the bed would squeak.

There was no more pain and the discomfort was waning with each of his movements. He would ease back a little bit and then push forward, each time felt like he was going deeper and deeper. Occasionally he would stop and get such a determined look on his face and then continue. Throughout it all he would make mumbling sounds. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but his voice sounded like a cross between pain and ecstasy.

"Are you ok, Edward?"

He nodded emphatically, so apparently there was no pain. Good. I liked the idea of bringing him so much pleasure and just the thought of that helped me relax some, so I decided to take some pleasure in his body, too. I slid my hands down slowly, so he wouldn't know how eager I had been to put my hands on his bare backside. His skin was so soft there and his muscles were hard and they were clenching and unclenching as he moved his hips. It felt wonderful and I couldn't get enough and I wanted to just squeeze the living daylights out of his behind…so I did.

"Fuck!"

We both froze. _I could not believe he said that word_! I shivered.

I didn't know what to say. "I…I…"

Edward's mouth was on me in an instant. He delved his tongue deep into my mouth and began moving his hips with a little more vigor…and I liked it…a lot…although I could barely breathe. With each thrust, there was a tiny second of…what was that…a flash of pleasant sensation. Every time it lasted just the briefest instant longer and I wanted more, and my own hips began to move, trying to get more of that…feeling. I focused on how he felt. He was hard and long and when he was sliding in and out it felt like a piece of some grand puzzle was finally in place, we were _one_. I felt like a woman in the truest sense.

Edward's fist hit the pillow next to me, I should have been startled, but I wasn't. I liked it. I liked that he was losing control and that I was responsible for it.

My hands were still on his behind, and I started pulling him into me and moving my hips up to meet his. Edward ripped his lips from mine and buried his face into my shoulder, mumbling words such as Jesus and God and baby and angel.

He jerked suddenly and quit moving, letting out another oath. Even though he was still, I could feel him…get even harder and bigger…inside of me, which I didn't think was even possible. I didn't want to stop, so I kept moving my hips for him to continue, but instead he started to stutter and shake his head.

Oh…this was his…what was that…climax thingy? I craned my neck so I could look at his face. His mouth was slightly open and he was breathing in hard spurts. His eyelids were fluttering and although he was looking at me, he still looked like he was far, far away. He never looked more beautiful.

After a minute he relaxed onto me and I could finally feel just how heavy he was. Our chests and stomachs melted together with only a thin layer of sweat between us. He slid his arms under me and held me, rubbing his lips and nose all over my face and neck.

"That was…the most incredible…I never knew…I never… Oh, my Bella, I love you so much…so much." He kind of sounded like he was choking.

"Edward, it was so…beautiful…making love together…being your wife."

He flipped us so that I was lying on top of him. He…slid out…and I felt…empty…and really wet. But more than that, I felt such love for my husband, it was overwhelming and I started to cry into his chest.

"Love, are you ok? Are you hurt? I'm so sorry.."

"No, no, I'm not hurt…I just…love you so much."

I know I looked stupid, crying like a baby, but I did, I loved him so much that it was like a dam bursting forth.

He pulled me up so that my head was resting on the crook of his neck. He ran his shaky fingers through my hair and kept on kissing the top of my head, shushing me and telling me that he loved me, too.

It was odd, but I felt so tiny in his arms. Until this night, I never really realized how much bigger and stronger he was. I snuggled into him, as happy as I've ever been in my whole life.

"Love?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Did you uh…did you…enjoy that?"

I nodded. "Yes. I admit that I was a little afraid, but it wasn't as…um…painful as I thought it would be."

"Good, good…I was afraid of hurting you—you know I would never want to hurt you. If I could have done anything to prevent it, you know I would have."

"I know. Like I said though, it really didn't hurt."

"Did you find any…pleasure in it?"

"Yes, yes, it was very pleasant."

"Good, good. I don't suppose you…"

"What? Did I what?"

"Uh….you didn't, mmmm…have a…did you…finish?"

"Finish? I think so. Finish what? Is there more? Did I miss something? Did I do something wrong?"

I started to panic. What did I do—or not do?

"Oh, no! No, no, no. You did everything right. Jesus, I didn't mean to imply…"

It suddenly dawned on me that maybe I messed up bad. "Did _you_ like it?"

He closed his eyes and let out a whoosh of breath. "Bella, love, I don't even have words for how much I _loved_ it. Being so close…being…you know…loving you like _that_." _He growled_. "I want to throw open the window sash and tell all the world that I have the most beautiful, sweetest, sexiest girl that God ever created."

"Sexy? You silly."

He tickled my sides. "Yes, you are incredibly sexy."

We both were now wearing matching grins and giggling together. He leaned his face down and gave me sweet kisses while rubbing my behind.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He rolled us over and jumped out of bed, reaching his hand down to help me up. He was no longer…big, which made me feel relieved. I took his hand and slid across the bed. It was kind of embarrassing being undressed in front of him, but when I tried to stand, I found that my legs were just like jelly, and kind of sore. He walked me to the bathroom, but I pushed him out when we reached the door. We may be married, but there was no way he was coming into that room with me. He gave me a kiss, and I made the mistake of looking down, noticing that his you-know-what started to get bigger before my very eyes. I shut the bathroom door and locked it.

**A/N I read a lot of fics, just like you, and it always bugged the living daylights out of me that the first time was magic…blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I know its fiction, but it seems more like a fairy tale to me. It took me three damn years and a determined man to give me my fairy tale. Jeez. **

**Only 5% of young women have orgasms when they lose their virginity. I know women read these stories and ask themselves 'What's wrong with me?" NOTHING! You're ok and not alone. More facts…only 25-30% of women have 'innies' and only 75% of women ever have orgasms. That means one out of every four women don't experience them at all. Holy crow! **

**We do not want Bella to be in that 25% group, do we? Maybe if we chant "I believe in fairies" Edward will show some determination. I dunno,haven't started writing it yet.**


	29. Ray of Light

**A thousand apologies for my delay. I have no intentions of abandoning this story, and missed writing it more than I can say. Thank you all for your kind thoughts during a period that I pray I'll never have to live through again. **

**As a small token of my gratitude for your understanding, here's a little bit of Edward for being so patient.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 29: Ray of Light **

**Edward:**

The most blissful week of my life had just passed. Although I could have stayed in the bedroom forever, I had a mission to accomplish—a couple of missions actually.

I had promised Bella that I would take her shopping to get thank you gifts for all of the people that helped us with our wedding. She reminded me that the road to hell was paved with good intentions and it was time to act. She was right about that. Plus, we did need to get out of the house and it was supposed to be a beautiful day.

There was also the added incentive of picking up the book which I had ordered and I hoped it would be waiting for me at the book store. The owner of the store was very helpful, promising that it would come discreetly wrapped in plain brown paper. I had planned on telling Bella that it was a medical journal, which wasn't too far from the truth. Ok, even I know that was a bit of a stretch. It was a sex manual. There, I admit it.

It wasn't like I could go around asking people how to satisfy a woman. I know because I tried. Being the first of my friends to get married prevented me from getting qualified information, leaving me with only speculation. They could only tell me stories they had heard and had nothing to give me that was based on actual first-hand experience, so hence, the book purchase.

Now I found myself in the position to have to rely on ancient information. I sure hoped that the book would be helpful and not too awfully outdated. As a man, I knew it was my duty to take control in the bedroom and I took it seriously. It's the least I could do for Bella. She deserved the best that I could give her—in _every_ aspect of our lives.

She is, without a doubt, the sweetest girl that ever lived. The kindness she has bestowed upon me was beyond what I could ever do for her in return. My efforts paled in comparison. It wasn't just the cooking and cleaning that she did, which worked her little fingers to the bone and seemed never ending. There was so much more. She made me _feel_ like a man in so many ways.

There were simple things, like when I'd whisk her over a patch of ice, or carry her shopping bags for her, and she would give me such a sweet smile that would tell me that she appreciated the little efforts. Then there were the times when we would be out somewhere and other men would try to put the move on her, and she would sidle up next to me and put her little hand in my arm to let them know she was already taken. _Take that fuckers! _Which reminds me, I need to cut back on the cussing. Bella is too much of a lady to hear that awful locker room language.

Then there was lovemaking. I thought lovemaking was to be my right as a husband, part of the marriage bargain. It wasn't my right, it was an absolute privilege. It was like being in the arms of an angel, like I was in heaven and nothing else on Earth mattered. The way she welcomes me and the love in her eyes makes me feel like the most beloved man in all creation. And afterwards she lays her head on my chest and falls asleep with a grin on her face. If I were to die today, I would have to say that after experiencing making love to Bella that I have lived fully.

Speaking of which, it was time for us to finally leave the house and join the living. We've been inside for the past week and not a single soul even knocked on our door, for which I am truly grateful.

The newspaper was right for once, it was a spectacular spring day. The sun was shining brightly and it had warmed up considerably. It wasn't warm enough to forgo our jackets, but we could leave our heavy coats and gloves behind. I had no trouble convincing Bella to shop downtown where, coincidentally the bookstore I needed to go to was located. We went about choosing gifts for just about everyone who showed up at the wedding. They all had a hand in creating a special day for us on such short notice and I owed them a debt of gratitude.

Bella amazed me with her bargaining skills. She would find something she liked then ask the salesperson what the price was. Her mouth would drop and she'd hurry to put the object back and mumble about it being too expensive. The salesperson would instantly give her a discount. Bella would think about it, her head tilting from side to side, pondering the price. You could see the salesperson sweat out Bella's decision. They would all start to panic and blurt out a new, even lower price. _That's my girl._

When we stopped at a restaurant for lunch, we ran into a couple of friends of mine from high school. Even though we were the same age, I no longer felt like I was part of their high school group, and not just because I wasn't actually attending school either. I don't know if was because I was married, or if it was because I had been to war, but I was no longer that _boy_ that they once knew. Hell, for all I know, Bella could be carrying our child right now. Ok, it made me hard just thinking about her being pregnant with my child, so I had to dash those thoughts from my mind.

I watched Bella as she finished her meal, and I noticed that she seemed different, too. It wasn't an obvious change, just the way she looked at me. It was like we had a shared secret—intimate knowledge of each other, which I suppose is true. We were growing into our roles of husband and wife, and it was…comfortable. The most surprising change was that we could communicate with fewer words. A glance, a blush, a touch of our hands expressed so much more than litany of words ever could.

Bella noticed that I was staring at her and she raised her eyebrow in question. How could I tell her that I wanted to scoop her up and take her back home and keep her just for myself? I wanted her to stay in my house and my bed. Yes, I wanted that. I wanted to never share her with another soul. I wanted to stand up in the restaurant and shout out 'She's mine!' I knew that wanting to keep her only for myself was an insane notion, and to attempt to keep her away from the rest of the world would only cause her to wither away. Of course, I would never even attempt to do such a thing in reality. I don't know if such a thing would be legal anyway.

And then, as if to prove my earlier point, she placed her hand over mine and gave it a squeeze. Her eyes told me that she loved only me and reminded me that we were going to be together as long as we live. I could feel every muscle in my body relax with her confirmation. She smiled and shook her head and finished her meal. I kind of felt like a big dumb caveman for the thoughts I had, even though I knew they were thoughts I probably would never be able to rid my mind of completely.

Our last stop of the day was the book store. When the saleswoman handed me the book wrapped in brown paper, she gave me one of _those_ looks. I thought I handled myself fairly well when I told her it was a medical journal. She rolled her eyes and said "uh-huh, sure". I pulled off being offended at her inference admirably, but couldn't wait to get the hell away from her. Plus, now that I had the book, I was itching to crack it open.

When we returned home, Bella went about putting all of our purchases away and was going to start dinner. I told her that I was eager to read my 'medical journal' and went into the library and locked the door. I sat at the desk, staring down and the package. After a minute of contemplation, I ripped the brown paper off and stared at the book. _The Kama Sutra_ was embossed in gold across the leather cover.

I began thumbing through the pages, looking at the illustrations. Talk about graphic! My mother would be beside herself if she ever found out I brought such a thing into her house. I had never seen images like these in my life. Sure, I had seen photographs of nude women, and tasteful nudes in paintings, but they weren't anything like this. What I was looking at now was a manual on sexual gratification. Some of the illustrations were simply bizarre and nothing I'd ever be interested in doing. Others were…helpful. I had heard about some of these positions, but never fully grasped what purpose they would serve other than making sex more interesting. Now, I could see that perhaps they would help a woman—or man—reach maximum sensation. Most of what I saw was a bit over the top—things you might do in a whorehouse but not with your wife, so I focused on the more 'normal' types of lovemaking, making mental notations of what I deemed as most likely to give my Bella satisfaction while not appearing to be a pervert.

It was almost like she didn't know that she was allowed to climax. Did she? Heh, did she even know that a woman _could_ climax? Jeez, I'll bet she had no idea. My girl was truly…without a clue when it came to sex. Not that I minded. Actually, it made her even more desirable, if that was possible. The thought of being the one to unlock all of the secrets of lovemaking to her made me feel…hard. _Shit._

I was completely engrossed in the book and when I heard the doorknob jiggle. I swear to God the book flew from my hands and landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"Edward, why's the door locked?"

I hurriedly picked up the book and shoved it in the desk drawer and opened the door for Bella. She glanced around the room.

"Sorry, I hadn't realized I locked it."

She accepted my excuse and let me know that Carlisle was at the door requesting my help in moving some furniture. I was glad that the library was next to the foyer because I grabbed my coat immediately to cover the embarrassing bulge in my pants. _Great timing Carlisle._ At least this would give me time to deflate a little bit before dinner.

It was good being able to spend time with Carlisle. After a week of being alone with Bella, I needed some time with a fellow man.

Alice was moving her room from the second floor to the attic because her belongings were overflowing from every nook and cranny. The attic was huge and would allow her to quadruple her wardrobe. I couldn't get over how much stuff Alice had accumulated, especially considering that six months ago she only owned one dress. We moved all the furniture and box after box of clothing. The attic was as hot as hell and by the time we were done moving everything up there I was a sweaty mess and my muscles were aching. We were both exhausted and needed a break. Carlisle took a seat in Alice's desk chair, and I sat on the edge of her ridiculously frilly bed.

"So how's married life, Edward?"

"Good—great even. Better than I ever expected."

"Glad to hear it. I'm kind of partial to marriage myself."

I nodded, understanding what he meant completely.

"So Edward, everything working out on the home front?"

I knew what he meant by the look on his face.

I nervously began looking around the room.

"It's…good. Yeah, it's good."

I was looking down at my feet now. I wished I could just blurt out 'How the hell do you give a woman an orgasm for Christ's sake!"

I finally was able to look up at him and saw a smile cross his face.

"Bella happy?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"You know Edward, sometimes you just have to use your mouth with women"

My head snapped up.

"I mean talk to her!"

"Oh…ok." I was glad he clarified that before I made a moron of myself.

Now he shook his head and laughed.

"Son, what I meant is that she's very…nice. You know what I mean."

I nodded. Everyone knew Bella was more innocent than most.

Carlisle continued. "Sometimes, even though someone does something, it doesn't mean they understand what they're doing."

I certainly didn't understand what he was saying, that's for sure. Apparently Carlisle could tell that I didn't so he elaborated.

"Let's compare marriage and changing the oil in a motor as an example. The simple act of changing the oil occasionally doesn't mean a person knows the consequences of their actions. It might help them if they had a little more information, like how often they should change the oil, what type of oil to use, and what would happen if they forget to change it. If they know more about their engine and what makes it tick they are more likely to take better care of their car and consequently the engine will perform better. You know, make it purr like a kitten."

I was trying to wrap my head around what he was saying when he interrupted my thoughts.

"What I'm trying to say is that wives aren't given manuals before they get married. A husband needs to be able to talk to her and allow her to feel comfortable enough to ask questions. A husband needs to help his wife find out what will make her engine purr."

I was kind of embarrassed getting advice from Carlisle, but this was good stuff!

"Are you warming the engine up real good before you…?"

"Yes…I think so. Do you think maybe I'm warming it up too long?"

Carlisle arched his brow and laughed. "I sincerely doubt that. Oh, and Edward…"

"Hm?"

"Your initial thoughts about when I said 'use your mouth'…"

I grimaced, recalling the dirty thoughts that had run through my mind when he said it.

"That's probably one of the best solutions—in case you were wondering."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah."

We were both grinning like fools—me, imagining doing that to Bella, and Carlisle with a faraway look in eyes. Alice walked into the room and took one look at us and turned on her heels back out the door and down the stairs. Carlisle and I cracked up laughing.

Before we left the attic, I shook Carlisle's hand and thanked him. He slapped me on the back and said "Any time, son. Good luck." I left there feeling a whole lot more confident and a lot less like there was something wrong with the fantasies I had been having. I also started planning how I would proceed with Bella.

Carlisle was right. Bella, although willing and loving, seemed like she was completely unsure of herself. She always waited for me to make all of the decisions, never once asking me to do anything to please _her_. Even if she wanted to, I don't think she even knows _how_ to say it. Oh hell, I've been an idiot. I expected that Bella would begin to connect the dots and pull everything together, but I was forgetting that Bella didn't have any dots to start with. I mean she didn't have a manual. Shit, I don't know what I mean, except that I needed to give her the basics. The sex talk she and I had ages ago was so far off the mark that I shudder to even think about it. I don't know what Esme told her, but apparently it was lacking in information, too. I needed to step up so I could conquer this challenge

All through dinner I could not think about anything other than getting upstairs and being alone with my girl. Would that sun never set? Damn springtime was making the days entirely too long!

Bella interrupted my internal musings.

"Moving that furniture must have made you very hungry?"

"Huh?"

I realized that I had been shoveling food in my mouth without even thinking and there was hardly a crumb left in the serving dishes.

"Oh…I suppose I was kind of hungry."

She smiled and stood up to clear the empty plates and place them in the sink. She turned the tap on and the hot water was filling the basin causing steam to swirl around her face and hair. I knew what was coming next, her face would flush and her dress would start to cling to her skin.

I got up from the table and put my arms around her waist and nuzzled into her hair. I felt kind of bad that she always had to get right up after dinner and do the dishes. Even more, I wanted her to be relaxed for tonight.

"Hey, why don't you just go relax and I'll wash the dishes for you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I don't do enough for you. Now go skedaddle."

_Really, Bella. You need to get out of here before I toss you on the kitchen table and rut you like the pig that I am._

"If you're sure? All of that shopping kind of wore me out and I would love to soak in a hot bath."

I truly did not need the image of her naked, reclined in a steaming hot tub of water which would cascade down her shoulders and...Why didn't I just ask her to skip the dishes until morning so I could try out my new moves on her? No, instead I just told her to take her time. Good thing, too, because it took damn near forever for me to wash the pots and pans. She makes it look so easy—but it's not. And why do they make plates so breakable anyway? I stacked the dishes and left them to dry on the counter. I don't know why women always insist on drying them with a towel when the air would do the job just as well.

I thought I'd take a chance and see if Bella wanted to skip our usual evening ritual of sitting in the parlor before we went to bed. When I reached the landing upstairs, Bella was walking to our bedroom in her robe while rubbing her wet hair with a towel.

I stopped in my tracks and stared at her, knowing full well that she wasn't wearing anything other than beads of water under her robe.

"I…uh…I think I'll just take a quick bath, too." I said as I motioned to the bathroom.

"No! I mean…why don't you just wash up and come to bed? I'm kind of tired and looking forward to an early night."

She was staring at my chest when she said that. I looked down at myself and wondered why she would say that when I obviously looked like a slob. My shirt was damp and stuck to my skin, my sleeves were rolled up like I was some kind of construction worker, I needed a shave, my hair was all over the place, and I reeked of sweat from moving the furniture today.

Ahhh…it finally clicked. She was biting her lip and had the same look in her eyes as I do when she washes the dishes. Taking advantage of, well, my advantage, I grabbed her by waist and bent her over, biting her neck and saying in as manly a voice as I could conjure up "Why you're a naughty girl Isabella Masen, I know what _you're_ thinking. Maybe you need a spanking." I can't believe I had the balls to say that, let alone where the hell I thought that one up, but when I pulled her back up her mouth was hanging open in shock. I spun her around so she was facing our room again, and I gave her a sound, but not too hard, smack across her bum and sent her on her way. When she reached our door she turned and peeked at me and her look of shock had changed into a grin. Her face was turning pinker by the second, but she scurried into our room without saying a word. _Hot damn I'm smooth_. This whole marriage thing gets easier every day.

**AN: I admit, I rushed this and put this all together in one day. **

**Any guesses on what makes Bella purr? I think I know, but I'm never sure until I finish a chapter. I think I'll plan the next chapter using and EPOV too, because I just love to hear his voice.**

**Reviews make me purr **


	30. Stratagem

******************** ADULT CONTENT ALERT ********************

**If you are under the age of 18 DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER! **

**Go find something else to do. You only have 18 years as a child, and around 60 years of being an adult. Enjoy being a child. Once you're all grown up there's no going back.**

**All right then.**

**For the rest of us, yep, this chapter is very adult. I still contend that it's integral to the story and not gratuitous. Ok, maybe it is a little gratuitous. **

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**Chapter 30: Stratagem**

**EDWARD:**

I scrubbed up as best as I could without actually taking a bath or shaving. If Bella wanted manly, then who was I to argue? I decided that unbuttoning my shirt halfway down would be a nice added touch. One last look in the mirror—oh hell—I wasn't even going to attempt to do anything with my hair, I hoped it wouldn't ruin the look I was going for. I gave myself a little pep talk, reviewing the steps I was going to take. _I knew I should have made notes!_ I didn't want to forget anything.

I can do this, right? _Right._

When I opened the bedroom door, my eyes went immediately to the bed. _Holy shit_. Bella was halfway under the covers, but I could see that she was wearing that satiny blue nightgown that I caught her holding up to herself when she first moved in. After I willed my legs to move, I crossed the room and sat in the chair next to the closet, which faced the bed. As I was removing my shoes and socks, and staring at her boobs, I noticed her nipples began to get pointier with each passing second. Maybe my eyes had some kind of magical power…Nah.

In an effort not to be too obvious, I moved my eyes up and realized that I could have continued staring without being caught, because she was staring right back at _my_ chest and biting her lower lip. The unbuttoning of my shirt was apparently a good choice on my part. I'll have to remember that one and put it in my arsenal of sexual weaponry. I stood up and began removing my shirt—another good move. This time she moved her hand up to her mouth and began chewing on her thumbnail.

"You sure look pretty in that nightgown."

"Um…uh-huh."

Screw the pretense of putting on pajamas. I began to undo my trousers, which finally made Bella wake up. Her eyes began to wander about the room aimlessly looking anywhere but at me now. I had to chuckle at her shyness. After dropping my trousers to the floor, I thought I'd have a little fun…I crawled on my hands and knees on the bed towards her. She scurried backwards until she was pressed back against the headboard with her knees to her chest, her eyes wide with uncertainty. When I reached her, I smiled and gave her a quick peck on the forehead and said "Goodnight love" then quickly got under the covers, pretending to be settling in to sleep.

"Oh…goodnight Edward."

_Make her want this_.

She straightened her legs out, but still looked completely confused.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders a few times. I reached over and put my hand on her belly. "Wow, your nightgown feels so silky, I could run my hands over it all night."

"I know. It feels really good against my skin, too."

Then she had to go and run her hands up and down herself, feeling the material. The charade of pretending I was tired was officially over. I put my arm around her waist and pulled her down so she was lying next to me. Her nightgown slid up to her hips when I did it, so that was an added bonus. It was my turn to rub my hand up and down her nightgown, but mostly I wanted to grab her bum and boobs…so I did.

It was time to get the engine nice and warm, so I made sure to lay some of my best kisses on her while I continued to feel her silky nightgown up.

Now, time to get her to start talking about her oil…manual…engine… thingamajig.

"You like kissing, don't you sweetheart?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"What else do you like?"

She shrugged her shoulders. _Figures_.

"You know what I like?"

She shook her head.

I lowered my head to her chest and rubbed my face over her, and darted my tongue out and pressed down on one of her buds through her nightgown.

"I love your boobies."

Her mouth dropped and my vulgar terminology. I had to resort to using terms from my own manual. Nobody but a physician would use the word 'breasts' so I went with what felt reasonable.

"They're perfect you know. I love to squeeze them. I love to lick them. I love to suck them."

I pulled the strap to her nightgown down over her shoulder and showed her exactly what I loved to do. Her hands slowly crept up to my head and she ran her fingers through my hair and pulled me closer. After a couple of minutes I unlatched my lips and looked up at her.

"Do you like when I do this?"

She bit her lip but nodded.

"Tell me you like it Bella."

"I do, I like it Edward."

"Yeah, me, too baby."

I lowered my head again to continue, and while I was doing my thing, she whispered. "I like it sooo much."

Good, good, good. I already knew that one, but a verbal confirmation is good. It's nice to know that we both like the same things.

After a few minutes I looked up at her again. "What else do you like?"

"Um…I like…feeling your skin against mine. I like touching you."

"I like when you touch me, too. Matter of fact, I think I'd like you to touch me a little…more."

"Well…what…how…?"

"May I show you?"

She looked like she wanted to say something, but closed her mouth and nodded. I guided her hand down my chest, her fingers splayed and she seemed fascinated with running them through the hair on my manly chest. Slowly I moved her hand down to my stomach, moving her hand in small circles. Cautiously I began to inch her shaking hand downwards to my thigh. On the way back up, we took a little detour. Her arm began to stiffen a bit, but we needed to cross this bridge. I had thought she would have taken the initiative days ago, but I figured wrong. I slowly led her hand up my cock, and then back down again. We both let out a breath at the same time. I kept my eyes focused on our hands so she wouldn't feel like she was being stared at on this monumental occasion.

After a few moments I moved my hand from hers and was surprised that she continued to stroke it. She sat up now, stroking and looking at it.

"What do you call it?" She whispered.

Good, she was asking questions.

"Um, well anatomically speaking, it's a penis. But I sort of call it..." _I couldn't believe I was saying this out loud._ "My little soldier."

Bella quickly covered her mouth with her other hand and choked a little. I had to laugh at that, too, and when I did, the little soldier jumped in Bella's hand and she pulled back in shock. After a second she began to laugh, too. "You scared me there." But then she put her hand back and began to stroke again. I could tell she didn't know what to do next, so I put my hand back over hers to show her how to move but her wrist was stiff. "Let me show you." I said, and she relaxed and allowed me to guide her hand once again. I covered her fingers and showed her how to wrap them around me, then guided her hand up and down. It was like she was born to do this. I couldn't help but close my eyes and throw my head back, reveling in the sensation.

I never dreamed that such a lady like her would ever want to do this. Well, I did dream it—a lot—but this was so much better than the dreams.

"It's so smooth, almost like you put lotion on it every day."

No fucking comment.

"I've been wanting to…touch it…for a long time now." She stated.

My head popped up at that. "You did? Why didn't you then?"

"I wasn't sure…I don't know."

I leaned forward and gave her a little kiss. "Baby, don't ever be afraid to try something. If you're not sure, just ask. I promise I won't laugh or make you feel embarrassed."

She continued her ministrations, and it felt incredible.

"That feels incredible. It would be nice if you tightened your grip a little."

And she did. Things were going much better than expected, but we still had a lot of territory to cover. I had to keep my wits about me.

"Bella, your hand feels so good on me, it makes me want to come just thinking about it."

"You mean, like…finish?"

"Finish, come, ejaculate, orgasm, climax—whatever you want to call it—yeah."

She stopped stroking me for a second. I could tell that she was processing the information that I so masterfully snuck in.

Pulling her down to the pillow again so we were side by side, facing each other, I slid my hand up her leg and under her nightgown and began to rub her pussy. She closed her eyes when I did this and her stroking faltered for a second, so I could tell that what I was doing affected her.

I nuzzled into her neck and said: "Were you aware that women can have an orgasm, too?"

She pulled back an inch and looked at me. In a very quiet voice she said "How…I mean, I don't have a…you know…soldier or whatever?"

Normally a statement like that would have cracked me up; instead it almost broke my heart.

"You don't need one. You have everything you need right here." I rubbed her clitoris with my fingertips. "All you gotta do is relax and don't think about anything except how it feels. Does it feel good when I rub you here?"

I could feel the heat roll off of her scarlet skin. "Yes. I like it. A lot."

"So do I. Now what you're going to have to do is let me know if I'm doing it right. Just say, slower…faster…harder…softer."

I was really glad I had practiced that line ahead of time, because her hand was still rubbing my cock and my mind was faltering quickly.

We began kissing again and I tugged on her nightgown, breaking our kiss only long enough to lift it over her shoulders and toss it to the floor. I laid her back down and slid her silky bloomers off, running my hands up her legs on the way back up. I stopped at her hips leaning over to kiss her pelvic bone, hoping to prepare her for my next battle plan.

I moved up until our lips met and gave her a sound kiss. I pulled back and glided my fingertip over her lips.

"There are other things which I would like to try that I think we would both enjoy."

"Mmmm…what's that?"

"Well…a little more kissing…and tasting."

"I could kiss you forever, Edward."

"Would you let me kiss you forever?"

"Of course!"

"Promise?"

"Mmmmm"

"Answer me, Bella. Do you promise?"

"Yes, Edward. I promise that you can kiss me forever."

"Don't even try to stop me."

"I won't. You have my word."

I couldn't have done that better if I tried. My negotiation skills are supreme.

"Now you have to do what I told you. Just concentrate on my kisses and how good they feel. That's an order."

She giggled.

And so I began my carefully planned strategy to the holy land—beginning with her boobs. I kissed and licked at them, while my hand was working a talented number between her legs, if I must say so myself, and it seems that I must because nobody else had a word to say.

"Feel good sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"Are you concentrating on how it feels?"

"I think so…yes, yes I am."

"My hand…slower, faster…?"

"It's just right."

"And the pressure…too much…too little?"

I could tell it was hard for her to voice her opinion, but I had to know.

"I like it…when you kind of…mix it up a bit."

Excellent information.

Now it was _my_ turn to concentrate. Previously, there were times when her knee would jerk a little bit as a reflex, or she would let out a tiny little moan. Now I just had to pay attention to _exactly_ what I did to cause those reactions.

I cautiously moved lower, so as not to startle her. I kissed and licked her belly, something I've been yearning to do since, well, forever. I went a little lower, catching her scent in the process. It was unlike any other scent known to man—at least this man. I was a little nervous, but I couldn't wait to taste it.

I kissed her belly button, which caused her to jump and giggle, then moved an inch lower so my chin was resting on her little mound. So far so good. Then, I removed my hand and went in for the kill. I slid my tongue down between her lips.

Her eyes flew open and she sat straight up, trying to scoot away from me. I had anticipated something like this happening and wrapped my arm behind her and pulled her back to me. I pushed on her shoulder for her to lie back down.

"Edward…you…I…what…"

"You promised."

"I…I..."

"I'm kissing and tasting, and you promised. Now lay back down."

I gave her a look that let her know without a doubt that this was going to happen whether she liked it or not. I mean, I hoped she liked it…that was the whole point after all.

I resumed my work. I brushed my lips over her clit, then poked my tongue out for a taste. I don't know what I was expecting, but the rumors were right. It was definitely wet…a little bitter… a little sweet. I stroked over her several times and a couple of times I darted my tongue inside her where there was a pool of her wetness. I licked at it and let her cream run down my throat. I'd marry this woman again every day for the rest of my life.

I found that the more I tasted it, the more I wanted.

I, Edward Masen, was licking my wife's pussy. Yes indeed! All those years I've fantasized about doing that and now my prayers were answered. Not that they were actually prayers, I mean, for all I know God could strike me blind or something. Wait, no, blindness is for masturbating. I wasn't sure what the punishment was for eating pussy… As long as my dick and tongue stayed intact I'd take whatever God had to dish out.

I continued my licking, adding what I thought would be some good moves…a figure 8 here, a little butterfly kiss there, a nip or suck…

Bella finally moved her hands from over her face and grabbed the sheets, digging her fingers into them. That seemed like another good sign.

I grabbed one of her hands and pried it loose from the sheet and placed it on my head. She instantly began pulling on my hair which caused my dick to get even harder. She moved her other hand to my head as well, and it seemed like she was pressing my face into her. A cry ripped from my lips because I thought I was going to lose it right then.

I figured out the rhythm she was leading me to, and focused on her clit. I slid my finger into her, alternating when I would push in and when I pressed down with my tongue. I kept it going for a long time. Quite a long time. Long enough that I could feel her heartbeat on the tip of my tongue.

But hell, when I would look up at her I could see that she was trying to concentrate like I told her to do. If it took all week, I was going to get her to come. No matter how much my neck was killing me. Besides, I was licking my girl's pussy. Sore neck be damned.

It appeared that what I was doing was working. She was getting wetter by the minute and her little moans and knee jerks were becoming more frequent. I tried to keep a good rhythm, mixing up the pressure every once in a while because she told me that she likes it that way. All of the sudden her hips began to jump and her thighs clamped my head. She grabbed on to my hair for dear life and shouted: "Edward!"

I was so startled I stopped what I was doing.

And it was over that quick.

Fuck!

Bella threw her hands over her face, rocking her head back and forth.

"Oh my God, Edward…that was…oh my God. It was…incredible. I can't believe it…"

I wanted more. I wanted to give her so much more. I pressed my tongue back on her clit, which was now swollen and swimming in wetness, but she began to wiggle away from me.

"No more. I can't…"

I gave her one last little kiss and pulled myself up, grabbing the sheet and wiping my face off.

We were both grinning and giggling. Yes, I giggled like a little girl. This was better than Christmas and the Fourth of July combined.

"You did it, Love!"

"I…I did. How did you do that? I mean…I don't know what I mean. I can't even think."

She reached up and tried to kiss me. I turned my head, after where my mouth had been for the last hour or so…

"Edward. Kiss me."

"Uh…"

She grabbed me again and pulled my head down to hers, trying to get me to open my mouth until I finally gave up and complied. Jesus Christ she was not shy about it at all. I told her to let me know what she liked, so who was I to argue. I kissed her deep and hard, letting her know how happy she made me.

She wrapped her leg over my hip and began rubbing her wetness all over me, urging me on.

"I want you Edward. I want you to..."

Oh, my, God. I was going to burst.

I positioned myself over her. Her face was still bathed in an afterglow and shock. "You're so beautiful." It was all I could think of saying. It was all I could think of at all. Except for how if I didn't get inside of her real quick I was going to spill out on her belly.

I slid my cock back and forth along her wet pussy a couple of times to moisten up and paused at her entrance to make sure she was ready. She lifted her hips up, eagerly wanting me. I was prepared to have to struggle to get all the way in like usual, and was pleasantly surprised that I slid in quite smoothly. Jesus Christ it felt good. Talk about silky—it made her nightgown feel like burlap in comparison. Even though getting in was easier, she was still every bit as tight as always. As I moved, the combination of wetness and tightness made my dick feel like it was being suctioned deeper into her with every push and pull.

Bella's hands were running up and down my back, her fingernails gently leaving trails of pleasure. Then she reached my backside and was caressing me.

"Edward…I…I…like this, too."

"What's that sweetheart?"

"This."

She grabbed both cheeks, squeezing them tight.

"Fuck!"

"Oh, shit…I mean, I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry."

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief from what I had said. God I was such an idiot to speak that way in front of an angel, especially when we were making love. I looked into her eyes, searching for forgiveness, but her lids were closed. Perhaps she wasn't paying attention to my outburst. She was biting her lips and her hips began to move. I resumed my slow and steady thrusts, for once not feeling completely selfish because I knew I had given her an orgasm, even if it only lasted a couple of moments.

As much as I wanted to last longer and savor every second, I wasn't too sure now that it was going happen. Her hands were still on my backside and she really had a good grip. Her breaths were coming out hard on every down stroke. Her head was thrown back and her neck was fully exposed and I wanted to sink my teeth into it. I figured that I'd find out if that would be something I could add to my arsenal. I lowered my head to her neck but stopped when she said "Say it again."

What did I say…?

"You're beautiful and I love you."

"Not that. Say…what you just said…a minute ago."

Think Masen, think. "Um…I'm sorry?"

"No, no…before that."

What? What did I say? As much as I didn't want to think about anything except fucking her, I figured this was something she wanted to hear…

Oh my God! She wanted to hear _that_?

I pressed my lips against her ear and used my deep, manly voice.

"Did I say how good it is to have my cock inside of you, baby?"

She made a whimpering sound, and her hips began to move in a circular motion. I was going to assume that I had the right idea.

_My girl likes to hear dirty words_. Who would have guessed?

"Or maybe I said that I loved the taste of your sweet, sweet pussy. Hmmm?"

Christ, she was soaking wet.

"Perhaps I said that I love to fuck you. I think about fucking you all the time. You like it? Hmm Bella, do you? Do you like it when I fuck you?"

She began to utter half words, like she couldn't finish them. I was able to make out that she was telling me not to stop. I wasn't sure if she meant the way I was moving, or the dirty things I was saying to her.

After letting myself get distracted earlier when she had her first ever orgasm, I would be damned if I was going to let that mistake happen twice, so I continued my steady strokes and said as many dirty words in as many ways as I could fit them into a sentence.

Her hips started bucking wildly and her legs were shaking. _Holy fuck!_ Her lips parted and she kept saying "Oh God…oh God." It was the most beautiful thing I ever heard and it turned my cock into stone. I waited until she started coming off her plateau and let loose to join her in her last few seconds of bliss. She was clenching and unclenching around my cock as I climaxed, I swear that if she wasn't there I would have cried genuine tears of ecstasy. I was breathing hard into her hair, unable to move, my dick feeling like I stuck it in an electric socket. Bella wrapped her legs tightly around me and started wiggling her hips, the sensation was too much and I couldn't take any more. I pressed my full weight onto her, trying to keep her from moving, and I shook my head, unable to tell her that she was torturing me.

When I finally got my head together—both of them, I kissed her with all the passion I could muster to let her know how much I loved her.

I really didn't mean to get hard again so quickly, but I did. She started to urge me on, but as much as I wanted to, and I did, I wasn't going to push things. I know that three orgasms would be too much for her at this stage of the game—at least that's what I had heard from other guys, so I rolled us over to our sides and slipped out of her. We both began laughing and hugging each other close.

She looked like she had been through the wringer. Her hair was tangled all about her head, she had a goofy smile on her face, and was completely dazed. She never looked so sexy and I knew that I was the luckiest man on earth, although I have to admit that it wasn't just luck. I knew that I would do everything in my power to keep my girl satisfied henceforth.

We gave each other small kisses for a while. I asked her what I did right, and what I did wrong. She insisted that nothing I did was wrong.

I guess I was pretty much spot on.

When I teased her about liking it when I talked dirty to her she denied it and told me that I should be ashamed.

I made her turn pink when I told her that I should spank her more often.

We were both delirious with joy.

She fell asleep with her head on my chest, like always. She was still wearing a big smile on her face, even in her sleep. It took me a while to get tired, I wanted to remember this night forever. Plus, I wanted to remember every one of the things I did to get her to respond so well.

I wondered if I would wake her if I tried to taste her again? It was almost like her taste unlocked some primal chamber in my brain. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted…more.

By the time I closed my eyes she was already dreaming and began to talk in her sleep.

"Edward…page seven…pleeeaase."

_Page seven?_ Must be one of her cute little girly books she's dreaming about. Ahhh…such an angel.

**A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COOL REVIEWS! **

**If you don't leave a review after taking a peek into Edward's '**_**Arsenal of sexual weaponry'**_** then I must have done something very wrong. I...just…don't…know.**

**I'll be going away for the weekend so I won't be updating for just a little bit. **

**I do have a couple of ideas I'm throwing around to wrap this up. Hmmm…what to do, what to do?**


	31. Outtake:  Page Seven

************* ADULT CONTENT ************

***** GO AWAY IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OLD! *****

**A/N: Since so many people questioned what page 7 was, I decided that I'd have to create something to (hopefully) make you happy. Edward actually performed "page 7" last chapter. When Bella talked about it in her sleep, she was simply having a nice dream about her night. **

**Anyways, this is completely gratuitous and not what I had planned on adding to the story, therefore, it is just an outtake and subject to possible removal.**

**BTW, I wanted to share the song that was a huge catalyst to the creation of this story. It's one of my favorites, and the more I listened to it, the more I wanted to write this story. If you're interested, just go to You Tube and copy and paste this in the search criteria: ****Strange Overtones** - A Calligraphic Tribute

**If you do, you'll notice that I took some of the lyrics and incorporated them throughout the story. Also, I tried to use metaphors for the words singing, music, chorus, song, harmonize… I'd love to know if you hear what I hear in this song.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Outtake: Page Seven

The heat of August was stifling, so I got out of bed early to bake the bread before the sun came up. As I was kneading the dough, I was startled by the sound of a chair scraping across the kitchen floor.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" I asked without looking up.

"After last night, I'm surprised that I didn't sleep for a week."

Why does he say things like that? I think he just does that to see me blush. I tried to give him a stern look, but failed miserably because I made the mistake of looking directly at him.

He was stretching and his arms were up in the air, giving me a nice view of his stomach. His long legs were extended out in front of him, and his feet were bare. His hair was disheveled, and he was still wearing only his undershirt and those silky blue pajama bottoms. I quickly diverted my eyes away from him, and divvied the dough up for their respective pans.

"The kettle's still hot. Tea?" I used my best, "I'm not affected by you" voice.

"I'll get it."

He stumbled around the kitchen, fixing a cup of tea for himself and taking the plate of bacon and eggs I had left for him on the stovetop. Edward ate in silence while I covered the pans up with damp towels so the dough would rise. In this heat it wouldn't take too long. I gathered up all of the dirty dishes and began my task of washing them.

Edward broke the silence, "Do you have any plans for today?"

"Hmmm…no, just bake the bread. I was thinking that it would be nice to take a walk along Lake Michigan this evening."

"Sounds like a good idea. Why don't we just plan on having dinner downtown, too? It's too hot for you to spend the entire day in here."

"I would love that! I can hardly wait. Want to ask the gang if they want to join us?"

"Not tonight. How about just you and me?"

"Sure, I'd like that, too."

I resumed washing the dishes, and thought about a restaurant I had heard about and wanted to try. When I turned back around to mention it to Edward, he jumped as if I had startled him. He had a guilty look on his face.

"What are _you_ thinking about, Edward?"

I couldn't help but notice that his long legs were still stretched out under the table. He straightened up, and then pushed his chair out. His eyes were dark, and there was a smirk on his face. I don't know how he made the four steps from the table, to where I was standing at the sink, seem like an eternity, but I became more nervous with each approaching step he took. I knew exactly what that look in his eyes meant, but we were in the kitchen for heaven's sake. I turned back to the sink, pretending that I hadn't noticed.

He slid his arms around my waist, and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Bella, Bella, Bella, do you want me to tell you what I'm thinking?"

I furiously shook my head no. He chuckled in response.

"I'm thinking about how sexy you look when you're standing here at the sink. I'm thinking that I'm jealous of the steam that gets to cling to your skin."

He placed the tip of his fingers on the edge of my collar bone, and glided it downward until his advancement was stopped by the lace of my dress. He moved his hand down over the material, cupping my bosom and sending a chill down my spine.

"I'll bet that steam is dripping all the way down under your dress, isn't it?"

I tried to get away, but his other arm was firmly wrapped around my waist. He moved his lips from my ear, and without warning, his tongue began a slow journey down my neck. He hadn't shaved yet this morning, and his whiskers tickled, causing me to shiver.

"Edward, I'm trying to do the dishes."

"I won't stop you."

"Edward! We can't just…" the hand that was on my waist made a slow descent, "…in the kitchen…of all…places." I was having trouble speaking. His fingers pressed down between my legs through the fabric of my skirt, where they began a slow, circular motion. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against his chest.

"Harder, Edward."

I was shocked when he stopped altogether, which made me stand up straight again. He had always insisted that I tell him what I wanted, and now he just stops? I turned to look at him but realized that his head was level with my hip. Oh! He reached down and slid his hands up under my skirt, pulling my drawers down to my feet in one swift motion.

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! _

"Edward! We can't! You just…the window!"

He rose back up and leaned over me, pulling the shade down so hard that I thought he was going to rip it right off of the brackets. He put his hands right back around my waist again, and began to nibble on my neck. I tried to turn around to face him, but he grabbed my hips and turned me so that I was fully facing the sink again. Then, he captured my hands and placed them so that I was gripping the edge of the sink.

"Don't move."

I wouldn't dare.

He then grabbed a handful of my skirt, bunching it together and lifting it up so he could gain access to my bare skin. His fingers stoked me for a moment and then dove into me while his thumb nimbly found its way to my love button.

I wanted to laugh every time he referred to it as love button, but I was stuck with it—his other word for it was so vulgar that I made him choose something else to call it.

He moved his fingers and thumb in perfect synchronization while kissing my neck and squeezing my bosom. I could feel his hard length pressed against my backside, so I pushed back into him, loving that I made him hard like that. He moved his hand from my bosom, and brought it up to my face, lifting my hair back and over my other shoulder to gain access to my mouth. I was bent slightly forward, and the ends of my long hair fell into the soapy water, but I didn't care. He lowered his head and his lips met mine. There were no preliminaries, no soft pecks or little kisses. His tongue immediately pushed through my lips and his kiss was hard and demanding. I lifted my hand up and he swiftly, but gently, replaced it back on the sink and shook his head.

He broke away from my mouth for just a moment, and said only one word, "concentrate."

So I did.

His tongue filled my mouth again and I sucked, and stroked, and tasted every delicious drop of him. The hand that was at my bosom was tugging, and pressing and pulling, and pinching. The hand between my legs was stroking, and prodding, and sliding, while moving fast and hard. He was rubbing himself against my behind; my hips moving in time with his motions. The steam from the hot water, the heat from the oven, and Edward's hot body enveloping mine caused tiny rivulets of sweat to drip down every inch of my skin—but it was nothing compared to how warm and wet I was between my legs. The more I concentrated, the more I became undone. I began to whimper and moan uncontrollably. The more unbearable it became, the more I wanted it to last. I was beyond logical reason.

"Edward."

"What do you want, baby?"

"Edward…I…"

"Hmmm?"

"Edward…I…just…I want…_more_."

To make my point, I pushed my behind firmly against the little soldier. Edward stopped completely.

After a moment he said, "Unbutton your dress. Now."

Without thinking, my shaky hands unbuttoned the front of my dress as far as it would go, which was just below my navel.

"Sorry, Love," Edward said cryptically. He then grabbed the front of my chemise and ripped it straight down the middle.

He placed my hands back on the edge of the sink, then put his hands on my waist and backed me up two steps so that my arms were stretched out in front of me and I was bent over. He reached down to the bottom of my skirt and gathered it up around my waist. I was staring at the floor, wondering what was coming next, when his pajama bottoms fell into a pool of blue silk at his feet. He kicked them to the side, and then nudged my legs apart with his knee.

Oh, my God! _Page seven!_

He leaned over me and whispered in my ear, "Do you know what you do to me when you're in this kitchen?"

I didn't answer; I figured it was a rhetorical question.

"This. This is what you do to me."

He pushed his hard length against my behind. It seemed even harder and lengthier than usual—and that was quite some feat.

He started to rub himself between my legs, taking his sweet time. I was so anxious; I couldn't wait for him to be inside of me, so I tried to urge him on.

"Are you holding on tight?" he asked.

I tightened my grip, and nodded. It's a good thing, too, because he entered me with swift determination. My eyes bugged open and my mouth dropped. He let out a half-laugh, half-cry, and a full-fledged cuss word before he started moving inside of me.

Being bent over like this while he was behind me was even better than I had ever imagined. The angle was…different, and the feeling was…somewhat foreign.

Still holding my hips, Edward was moving slowly. I could feel the different features of his…soldier…so much better this way. The head, as he called it, was much more distinct. If I closed my eyes I could actually visualize exactly what he was doing.

His hands reached up and began to fondle my bosom. _I still don't know why I like that so much_. Unfortunately, when he did this, he slipped out.

"Dammit!"

I stood still, waiting for him to recover.

When he did, he kept one hand on my waist, and the other on my bosom. As he began picking up momentum, both of us began breathing heavily, and I was glad my hands were securely holding the edge of the sink, otherwise I would have cracked my head against it every time he thrust forward.

I could tell he had the hang of things when he removed his hand from my waist and brought it back down between my legs. He began to fondle me there, while he continued his long strokes inside of me, picking up speed as he went. The combination of his hand on my button, while being inside of me at the same time, was mind boggling. I felt like a wanton heathen because I was enjoying every single thing that he was doing.

We were being intimate in the kitchen, during the day, with Edward stark naked _behind_ me, while I was bent over and clutching the sink. The more I thought about how decadent we were being, the better it all felt.

"Jesus Christ, Bella. Agh! You're the most beautiful woman in all of God's creation. I want to fuck you every second of the day. I love you so much."

_Oh, the dichotomy of his utterances_. But I felt exactly the same way.

It felt right to press my behind against him whenever he would push forward. My soft bottom against his hard hips and his…um…ball thingies. It seemed so perfect. When I did this, it seemed to make him go even deeper, so I kept it up. He seemed to like it, too, as he was making yummy, humming sort of sounds.

I concentrated really hard again, just like he told me. I knew he was watching my face, as I did this, but whenever I peeked at him, I saw that he was looking at me with so much love in his eyes.

Within mere moments, I could feel my insides start to spasm around him. I could feel every bump, every ridge, just _everything_ inside.

"Slower!"

I couldn't believe how bossy I sounded, but he responded, and that's what mattered. It was like he could read my body as he moved at the exact perfect pace. Each time he pulled back, It felt like I was coming back to earth, and then he would push back in, and the explosion would start all over again, causing me to lose all of my senses.

I felt guilty—so selfish. It was a slow torture, but I wanted to languish in every inch of his…you know what. And I did. I was so sensitive down there, and my legs were so shaky that I almost told him to stop moving completely. By the time I was done, I was shaking from head to toe and I felt like falling into a heap on the floor.

Edward kissed my neck and shoulder while I pulled myself together.

"Holy shit! Are you okay?"

I could only nod—barely.

"Do you need to lie down?"

Yes!

"No. I want you to finish…here." I did though. If it was going to be as good for him as it was for me, I'd stand barefoot on hot coals in exchange for letting him experience it, too.

I used my last bit of energy to wiggle my hips so he would continue.

"Hold on tight, baby."

I held on to that sink for dear life.

Good thing, too, because he didn't hold back. He had both hands on my hips and thrust with abandon. I peeked over my shoulder to look at him. He was staring at my bottom in earnest, and biting his lower lip so hard I thought he might bleed. He still had his undershirt on, which was sweat-soaked all down the front. A bead of perspiration had fallen from the tip of his nose, and I felt it as it landed on my bum and slid down between us.

Looking at him gave me renewed energy, so I resumed pushing back to meet his thrusts again, but this time with even more vigor. The muscles in his face seemed to have given up, as he completely lost his composure. He moved his hands from my hips, and reached up and grabbed my bosom with both hands. Gone were his attempts at any skillful finger maneuvers—it was like he was just grabbing them for dear life. He leaned down until his lips were on my shoulder and then he closed his eyes. A look of serenity passed over his features and he stopped moving. His breaths came out in an uneven staccato, in tandem with the warm spurts I could so clearly feel filling me up.

After his spell was over, he fell to the floor, kneeling on his haunches and holding his head in his hands.

I grabbed my drawers and slipped them back on, then buttoned my dress up.

I stuck my hands in the cold water and looked back at him over my shoulder. He was still sitting there, unmoving.

"I hope you enjoyed your breakfast, Edward."

A maniacal laugh erupted from his lips.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"Go ahead and invite the gang to join us tonight at the lake."

"Why did you change your mind?"

"I don't think I can be trusted alone with you around such a large body of water."

"Oh?"

"Oh, indeed. And, Love?"

"Hmmm?"

"You might want to make sure to comb your hair before leaving the house."

Oh, God. Coming from Edward, I knew it had to be bad.

**Shay: I tried, I really tried. Well, mostly tried. (I'm pretty sure that I failed in the author's notes alone.) All those punctuation and grammar thingies made my head spin and I think pea soup is going to shoot out of my mouth. **

**Why can't participles dangle? They remind me of pretty ornaments hanging on the branches of Christmas trees. Parenthetical? Isn't that an ancient amphitheater in Greece? Subjugation sounds like it belongs in a bdsm story, and that's not my style. Although, have you ever seen the movie "Secretary," with James Spader? You mentioned your (insidious) red pen…**

**I think that since I threw in a few extra commas here and there it should make up for all of the other mistakes.**

**OKAY****, I'll search for my darn MLA book…but not until later. Probly. ;p**

**See kiddies, punctuation like this is what happens when your daily breakfast "bowl" during your high school years doesn't contain granola.**


	32. Gathering

**A/N: As always, I don't own the characters names…no copyright infringement…**

**I wanted to share a fabulous review Ksangi left for chapter 30. I think you'll like it:**

****NEWS FLASH** Chicago, Il.- A resident of Lincoln Park was seen standing on the roof of his house stark naked, howling and pounding his chest in a caveman like manner. While speaking with neighbors, this reporter found that the man and his new wife have only just reappeared in public after their recent honeymoon. Mental health officials have been recalled from the scene and the man has reentered his home. There were no injuries to report.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

Chapter 32: Gathering

July 4th, 1926 (Six years later)

As I was frying up the chicken for this afternoon, I could hear Edward and the twins at the front door. Alec ran into the kitchen so fast that he skidded across the floor and slammed into my legs.

"I won! I beat Daddy!"

"You certainly did. What do you win?"

"I dunno."

"How about a kiss?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Edward walked in right behind Alec, carrying Janie on his hip. "Hey, how come he gets a kiss?"

"Because he beat you here."

"Only because I had to carry a little monster in my arms."

"Edward, don't call her that—hey, did you give her blackberries again?"

"No. Maybe. My Janie likes them."

"If she gets a tummy ache, you're staying home with her today. I know how much you enjoy taking care of a baby with a tummy ache."

A look of mortification came over his face.

"That's what I thought. Please wipe the evidence off of her face and put her out on the back porch with little Edward. Alec, go ahead and go outside and play with your big brother."

After Edward put Janie out on the porch, he poured himself some tea and sat down at the table, stretching his legs out underneath.

"Getting hot out there already."

"Mmm…did you put the blankets under the big oak tree?"

"Yes. We have a real good spot. It should be nice and shady come afternoon."

"Did you happen to notice where the Mallorys laid their blanket?"

"Yes, and you'll be glad to know it's on the other side of the park."

"Thank heavens for that. Lauren's little…children can be quite unruly."

Edward chuckled, "Yes, they sure can. Although…at last year's picnic, I distinctly remember Janie trying to stare down Tommy Kirkpatrick until he gave her his ball."

"Oh…that's different. She was only a year and a half old. Besides she…what's that ruckus out there?"

Edward leaned over and looked through the screen door, "It's only Alice and her brood."

I walked over to the window and saw Alice deposit Rosie and Isabella on the porch to play. I still couldn't get over Alice's extremely short flapper hair style, but it was perfect for her. When she came through the door she hugged Edward and me, and began her rant.

"Tell me you're not baking pies! I had to bake enough pies to be able to cut a total of forty-eight stars into the top crusts."

I stared at her in disbelief, "How many pies did it take?"

"Six. Eight stars on each pie."

"No, Alice, I did not bake any pies."

"Good. So what are you bringing?"

"Well, I'm making fried chicken, as you can see. Plus, potato salad, beans, some cut vegetables, cookies, and watermelon."

Alice put her finger to her lip and seemed to mull over my menu.

Edward finished his tea and placed the cup in the sink, "I think I'll just go upstairs and get my uniform ready."

Alice looked at me in surprise, "Why's he getting his uniform ready?"

"His army uniform. Remember last year? He and a few other veterans are going to be performing again in the gazebo tonight. The piano from the church basement has already been moved there."

Alice nodded, "I almost forgot about that. Oh it's going to be so much fun!"

"I know. Little Edward is so excited about seeing his father perform in public. He wanted to play, too, but I had to tell him they didn't allow children under ten years old to play."

"He's...tenacious."

I had to agree. Little Edward had insisted that his father teach him how to play piano when he was only three years old. We fully expected the novelty to wear off after about five minutes, but Little Edward was entranced. He insisted on at least a half hour of practice every single day. His father was so proud of him that he purchased a second radio so we could listen to it while we ate in the kitchen. Who ever heard of a radio in a kitchen! He spoils that child.

Alice broke my musings, "Isabella can't wait for the fireworks. Jasper tried to explain to her about gunpowder, wicks, sulphur and lord knows what else. She wants to be the one to light the wicks! I don't think she realized that Jasper explained it to her to keep her away from them, not to encourage her to want to experiment with them."

Little Edward came running inside with Rosie right behind him.

"Mommy! She said it again!"

Alice and I looked at each other. We knew where this was going.

"What did she say, Edward?"

"She called me Eddie pisgetti."

Alice and I both bit back our smiles.

"Rosie, what did Mommy say about calling Edward that?"

Rosie didn't even try to look contrite, "You told me not to call him Eddie pisgetti."

"Then why did you do it again?"

"Because he wouldn't let me play with his farming animals."

Edward huffed and said, "She doesn't even know how to say spaghetti."

It was the same thing every day.

"Edward, you need to share your toys. Rosie, you need to stop calling him names—especially that name. I have a feeling that if you two keep this up, you won't be watching the fireworks tonight."

Edward stomped his foot and Rosie looked like she wanted to kick him in the shins.

"Now both of you go back out there and behave yourselves."

As the two of them were walking out the door, Edward spun around, "Is that chicken you're making, Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart, it's for our picnic."

His lower lip stuck out so far it was pathetic. _Just like his father_.

"Come here."

He ran up to me and I pulled off a piece of cooled chicken for him.

"Now you'll have to make do with that or we won't have enough for later."

"I will, I promise!" He stopped again before walking out of the door. Wearing a frown, he said, "She's going to say it again as soon as I get outside."

I kissed one of his chubby pink cheeks, and reminded him that big boys have to be nice to girls even if they don't want to. He pondered that for a moment, and went outside.

Alice jumped, "Oh, my gosh! I cannot believe that I haven't told you yet. Carlisle and Esme are moving."

"What! Where?"

"You won't believe me—the Alaskan Territory."

"What? I can't believe it. Please tell me they haven't gotten gold fever?"

"No, of course not. No, Carlisle has been doing some kind of medical research about Eskimos…I think…and he is so engrossed in it that they're packing up and moving there."

I was stunned and saddened, "When are they leaving?"

"At the end of the month. They have to move quickly if they want to get there before it gets too cold to travel."

I nodded, "I suppose that's true. Oh! Please tell me that you're not going with them, are you? I couldn't bear to lose you, too."

"No! I would never bring Rosie and Isabella up there. It's too dangerous in that wilderness. However, Jasper and I are going to move out of our apartment and into their house while they're gone. So we'll be even closer to you."

I had to laugh, "By a whole block."

"Well, to the kids a whole block is like another city."

"True. Little Edward has been bugging me to teach him how to cross the street. He wants to be able to go to your house whenever he wants. Also, he wants to be able go to church by himself. I'm not ready for that."

"What? Crossing the street alone, or going to church alone?"

We both laughed hysterically. _That boy and his fascination with the Bible…_

When I caught my breath, I had to let Alice know, "Whatever you do, do not tell him that today is Friday! There is no way I'm bringing fish to a picnic."

We laughed all over again.

The food was all prepared, and I finally was able to sit at the table and enjoy a cup of tea with Alice. Our conversation kept coming back around to Carlisle's and Esme's departure, and how neither of us wanted them to leave. While we talked, Alice came up behind me and twisted my hair up, and wove a silky blue ribbon through it. It felt so much cooler with it like that, and I was grateful.

It wasn't long before the twins began to get cranky, so Alice left and I brought the children in for their naptime. I led them up to the third floor nursery, and Edward and I tucked them into their beds.

It made me happy every time I walked into the nursery and remembered how it used to be Edward's secret room. Every once in a while the memories flooded my mind. I could still picture the two of us, lying down on our pillows and looking out over the park. The green, flowered rug, and the walls painted to look like a forest were still intact, but three little beds and a couple of dressers filled up the rest of the space.

"A penny for your thoughts," Edward whispered.

I put my arm around his waist, and leaned my head on his shoulder, "I was just thinking about the picnic we had up here. Remember?"

"I can't believe that you didn't slap my face," he said with a little bit of embarrassment.

"I was so naive…"

Edward began laughing.

"What? I _was_."

He failed miserably at trying to quit smiling, "Yes, you _were_."

"Are you insinuating that I'm still naïve?"

He shook his head, seeming unable to speak.

_He's incorrigible._

"Well, I do admit that you could have gone a lot farther than you did, and I probably wouldn't have stopped you."

"I know," he chuckled, "I wanted to. So much that I could hardly see straight. But, I was afraid that if I went too far that you'd…disappear. It was almost like you were an angel, and I thought you'd float back up to heaven. I don't know, it's dumb…"

"It's not dumb. I am glad that we waited until we both said our vows."

He leaned down at the same time I reached up to him, and we kissed for a sweet moment, then he led me by my waist down the stairs and began to veer me off towards our bedroom.

"Where do you think you're headed, Mr. Masen?"

"All that talk upstairs made me tired. It is naptime, after all."

"I have a thousand things to do today."

He pulled me close to his chest and backed me into the wall; his arms effectively locking me in.

"Just a quick nap, please? I'll watch the kids while you get everything ready for the picnic."

_He's such a good father._

He was leaning down, rubbing his nose against my cheek and brushing his lips softly against mine.

"Hmmm…I suppose if you take care of the kids, I'll be able to manage everything."

"I'll even take charge of them at the picnic so you can relax. That is, until I have to go perform. I just hope I can keep track of them with such a big crowd."

"Just look for the red hair, Edward."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. See what you do to me, I keep telling you that I can't even think straight around you."

"What did I do?"

"You were cooking earlier."

"I cook every day."

"Yeah, but you do it in such a pretty way. It's not fair."

With that he lifted me into his arms and carried me off for our nap. Summer vacations are my favorite time of year.

After our, um, nap, I finished up everything on my list, and packed the picnic basket until it was brimming with food. We dressed the children in the cutest little blue and white sailor outfits, and they looked adorable. Little Edward complained that he wanted to wear an army uniform like his father, and I wished I had purchased some fabric and made one for him.

Edward lined the kids up and grabbed our picnic basket, and then we headed across the street to our blankets.

The park looked so festive! Flags and ribbons were hanging from every lamppost, and most of the homes that lined the street were decorated with red, white, and blue ribbons and streamers. Picnic blankets were scattered about, and families were mingling with each other. Children were playing ball and jump rope, and some were running around with nets, trying to catch butterflies. Groups of young men were attempting to be discreet while watching young ladies, and the young ladies who sat with their parents attempted to be discreet when they smiled back at them.

The day had taken its toll, and I was exhausted by the time we reached our picnic blankets. Edward kept his word though, and took charge of the children.

Esme and Carlisle were already waiting for us, followed shortly by Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett Jr. was a year younger than Little Edward, but was already taller than him. It was a good thing that he had such a sweet nature, because that boy would be tough to handle if he chose to exert his strength.

Emmett was carrying two year old Stephenie, because Rosalie's huge belly was enough of a load for her to handle. Stephenie was incredibly beautiful, like her mother. And like her big brother, she was as sweet as sugar.

Motherhood suited Rosalie quite well, and a goodness that I never knew she possessed just exuded from her. I always felt so comfortable leaving my children in her care when Edward would take me out on the town.

Jasper, Alice, Rosie, and Isabella headed toward us. Jasper was pushing a baby carriage, and that threw me for a loop until I realized that they needed it to carry all of Alice's pies. Alice and the girls wore matching red skirts, with crisp white blouses. Rosie and Isabella had their pigtails tied with red satin ribbon, and Jasper wore a white suit with a bright red tie. The three of them looked like they belonged on a magazine cover.

I looked around the park, seeking the two people who would make our circle of friends and family complete.

Edward nudged my shoulder, "There they are."

I followed his line of sight and rushed up when I saw them.

"Dad, Theresa, we're over here!"

It took forever for me to begin calling Mrs. Wolinski, _Theresa_, but I was getting better at it. They arrived last night, and were staying at Mrs. Wol…Theresa's son's house for the first week of their vacation, and ours for the second week.

Everyone stood and greeted them. The kids were a little bit shy at first, but they warmed up to Grandpa and Grandma quickly. It saddened me that they only got to see their grandparents for a couple of weeks every summer.

Dad did his usual teasing, asking me if I was ever going to have a baby that didn't have red hair. Edward told him that if I did, he might have to borrow Dad's gun. _Very funny_. It was their running joke. I hoped that the next baby would be blonde so the joke would end.

Ever since Edward announced that he wanted to be a city prosecutor, he and Dad forged a bond that made me so happy. Like my father, it incensed Edward when the bad guys got away with so much, and he wanted to be the one to get them off the streets. Edward would telephone Dad every once in a while to ask his opinion about certain laws, which helped Edward with his school work. The price of those telephone calls could feed a small country for a week, but it gave me a chance to hear my Dad's voice.

We spent the late afternoon sampling the foods in each other's picnic baskets, and moving from blanket to blanket, making sure we all had a chance to visit with everyone. Several neighbors came by to greet us, including the Volturis and Father Seth. I don't think there was a picnic basket in the park that Father Seth didn't have a nibble from. When he left, I had to keep Little Edward from following him. Little Edward adored him almost as much as he adored his own father.

Edward kissed the children and me before he made his way to the gazebo. I straightened his tie and tried to tame his hair before he went up. He was so thrilled about performing for an audience, and I wanted him to look nice.

We had a perfect view from our blankets. Everyone in the park gathered around when they heard the band warming up. It was so exciting. Someone flipped a switch and the gazebo came to life. Thousands of tiny lights lit up; it was a dazzling spectacle. The band performed a variety of songs including: _Bye, Bye, Blackbird_, _The Star Spangled Banner_, and _Has Anybody Seen My Girl_. When they did _Yes, Sir, That's My Baby_, Edward kept winking at me. I couldn't stop biting my lip. If he only knew what he did to me when he does that kind of thing. _He looks so handsome in that uniform_…

Little Edward stood in front of the gazebo watching his father play piano; his face pressed between two of the spindles of the railing. When the band played their final song, _Yankee Doodle_, Edward motioned for Little Edward to sit with him on the piano bench. Little Edward bounded up on stage in a flash. His face was just beaming, and I thought he would burst with excitement.

When the last song was over, the sun had fully set and my Edwards joined us back at our blankets. The twins settled on Edward's lap, and Little Edward got comfy on mine. Edward and I leaned our shoulders against each other for support.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear, and the stars were unusually bright for Chicago. Edward slipped his hand into mine, looking as happy as a clam to be with his family. A loud bang and a flash of light broke us from our gaze. Alec and Janie huddled against their father's chest, seeking protection. Edward slid his hand from mine, giving me an apologetic smile, and cuddled them closer. Little Edward looked up at the fireworks in awe, pointing and clapping at the spectacle above us.

I took a look around at the people I loved. Emmett was absentmindedly rubbing Rosalie's swollen belly. Her head was on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. I wasn't sure if it was from bliss or exhaustion. Emmett, Jr. was…chewing on his toenails, and Stephenie was fast asleep on their blanket.

Alice was combing her fingers through Rosie's hair, while Jasper was walking back to the blanket with Isabella, who apparently wanted to find the source of the fireworks. What a dangerous thing! It's good that her father watched her so closely.

Dad had his arm around Theresa's waist, and they were both smiling like children at the display. Fireworks were a rarity in Forks.

I never thought my dad would marry again. I don't think there was the same passion that he had once felt for my mom, but they had a marriage that brought them both peace, and loving companionship.

Carlisle and Esme only had eyes for each other. It sounds a bit foolish, but it seemed to me that they had the kind of love that would last long after their mortal lives were over. Kind of like the love that Edward and I shared for each other.

When the fireworks ended, we all said our goodnights, and carried our sleepy children home. Alec and Janie were asleep before we crossed the street, and Little Edward was beginning to get a bit whiny. The only thing that made him calm down was telling him that he could skip getting his hair washed before bed. As I walked him upstairs to his bedroom, he asked if he could sleep with us tonight. Edward rarely allowed the children to sleep with us, but since we already had a _nap_, I couldn't see the harm.

"You're going to spoil him," Edward reprimanded me.

"It's just one night, besides, it won't be long until he's too big for this kind of thing."

Little Edward crawled between us, accidentally kneeing his father in the process—we _both_ grimaced at that. I said good night to both of my Edwards, one in a particularly happy mood, while the other one was a just a little bit grumpy.

Edward and I were on our sides, with Little Edward grinning between us. Edward reached over and slipped the blue ribbon from my hair, causing it to fall in a pool around my head. I pulled my little boy next to me, and kissed the top of his unruly head of red hair.

"I love you, Edward Masen."

"I love you, Mommy."

**A/N: I'm not sure, but I think there will be one short chapter, plus an epilogue, which I had in mind from the start. Take heed; the epilogue may be a tad bit controversial. **

**As always, I sincerely thank you for your awesome reviews, helpful critiques, adding this story to your reading lists, and telling your friends about it. I am stunned, to say the least.**


	33. Epilogue

**I do not own or claim to own any rights to Twilight. Thank you, Ms. Meyer for your creation. You've made so many people happy. I do own the rest of this story, so thank you all for respecting my rights.**

**Bella Swan: The Unwanted Bride**

**EPILOGUE: **_**Twelve Years Later**_

Jasper and Alice, and their two children, Isabella and Rosie, moved from Chicago to Alaska to be with the Cullen's approximately five years earlier.

One year ago, the Cullens and Whitlocks all moved to Forks.

Letter from Edward Masen Jr. to his parents:

_August 11, 1937_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I already miss you and hope you are both faring well. _

_Please say "hi" to Alec, Janie, Renee, Charles, and Lizzie for me, and tell them that I hope that their chicken pox do not leave scars. I feel badly that they missed getting to visit Grandpa and Grandma this summer. I've been picking up gifts to bring back for them though. I found a whale's tooth at the beach, and I bought a pretty little beaded necklace, and a carved wooden wolf at the Indian reservation. I know I still have a few more gifts to get, but there is plenty of summer ahead, and I want to be sure to bring home something special for everyone. _

_Emmet Jr. seems right at home up here in Forks. I never knew he would be such a country boy at heart. I'm grateful that Uncle Emmet and Aunt Rosalie allowed him to come with me. It's our last summer before our senior year, and it is nice to be able to spend some time with him before we become old men. Ha-ha! _

_Grandpa got his hands on a couple of bicycles for Emmett and me to use while we are here. Most days, after we've had our lunch, we ride down to this empty field where some other boys meet up with us, and we play baseball. It's quite fun, and I'm becoming a much better player. I am hoping that all of this practice will help me to earn a letterman's jacket next year._

_Grandpa likes to fish after dinner, and Emmett and I join him most evenings. (Does he ever tire of it?) Grandpa and Emmett always joke that I fall asleep every time we go. The other night, I woke up and they were gone. It was pitch black out and I stumbled into the stream. Come to find out, they were hiding behind some bushes, and were playing a prank on me. Even worse, when we were walking through the woods back to Grandpa's house, I felt something wiggling in my trouser leg. Grandpa said it was probably just a snake. (Regardless of what Emmett tells you when we return home, I did not scream like a girl.) The next thing I know, I'm standing in the woods in my unmentionables, and it's so dark that I couldn't find where I threw my trousers. It was a humiliating, long, cold walk home, to say the least. I was so relieved when I found my trousers the next day. I had $1.45 in my pocket!_

_Isabella Whitlock has been super great coming over every day to make sure Grandpa and Grandma are being looked after. She has certainly grown into a lovely, young lady. Her sister Rosie hasn't changed a bit, except she is now taller. Speaking of pests, there is a boy from the reservation that follows Bella all over the place like a puppy dog. He is incredibly annoying. His name is Jake, but he should be called 'Rake'—he's so rude. I know, I shouldn't be so uncharitable, but in truth, he is annoying. _

_It's been great seeing Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme. I don't really remember them too well, but I thought you mentioned that they were older than you two? They look more like Aunt Alice's siblings than her parents, and Aunt Alice looks like she could be my older sister. I don't know what kind of food they were eating while they were in Alaska, but it has served them well. We have not seen Uncle Jasper yet, Aunt Alice always complains about his lack of control around people. I always remember him having such good manners, so I have no idea why Aunt Alice would say that._

_Sorry to make this short, but Emmet just came running upstairs to inform me that he and Jake have just decided that it would be great fun to go hunting for bears, of all things! I know, I know, I will be exceedingly careful. Grandpa has shown me how to handle guns, so don't worry. _

_Jake is going to be our guide, and I guess he knows the area like the back of his hand. Plus, he has an old truck, and we have to drive to the best hunting spot, as it is out of the way. Yesterday, Aunt Esme said that Uncle Jasper would be hunting at Goat Rocks today, so Emmett and I are both hoping we will be lucky enough to run into him there._

_We need to get going to take advantage of the daylight, so we are going to be heading out on our hunting trip right now. I promise to take this to the general store and mail it on our way out of town. I know you both like to get my letters _before_ I come back home. Ha-ha!_

_Grandfather and Grandmother Swan are both doing great and send you their love. _

_I will be sure to give everyone here your best wishes. _

_With love, your son,_

_Edward Anthony Masen, Jr._

**Author's Notes:**

**I know I said I would write one more chapter before the epilogue, but it just didn't feel right, so I'm not going to post it.**

**I hope everyone has their own suspicions about the letter (Little) Edward Jr. wrote to his parents. If you don't, I didn't do my job. The one thing I will clarify is that NOBODY is going to die. I would never off any of these people. **

**I hope everyone felt enough closure from the last few chapters to be able to accept this finale. I wanted it to end this way after the first couple of chapters, and I couldn't let it go. **

**I would love for folks to post their theories for everyone to read.**

**Once again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU:**

**For your encouraging, kind, helpful, thoughtful, sweet, comments. If you've never posted a story, you probably can't imagine how much they mean. (I know I didn't.)**

**For putting this story on alert, and making it one of your favorites. **

**For telling others about it.**

**For being incredibly patient.**

**If I have failed to respond to your review, I apologize. Usually, by the time I go to respond, I've already posted the next chapter, and most questions were subsequently answered.**

**If you have suggestions on how this story could have been better, ****please let me know****. Keep in mind that I still have some major editing to go back to (yucky). **

**As I have mentioned to a couple of you, I had set specific goals for myself:**

**To see if I could write fiction. **

**To see if I could keep the characters true to themselves throughout the story. **

**To write a realistic **_**relationship**_** between two virgins. **

**I definitely plan on writing more stories. I want to try writing something dark, though. If it comes to fruition, I'd love for you to take a peek at it.**

**I think I'll try a beta next time around, too. :o**

**Xoxo**

**Tumblin' Di**


	34. Nomination & Recs

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Nomination & Story Recs**

Sorry if I made you think that I was adding a chapter. But since you've read BSTUB, you already know that I ramble.

So many of you absolutely awe me with your kindness. An angel nominated this story for award on Avant Garde Awards, which is for new authors. The categories she nominated it for was Best Bella and Best Novice Author.

If you know of a new author that you'd like to nominate, I hope that you do. If you liked this story, it would be awesome if you voted for it.

Nominations are Oct. 30 – Nov 14, 2010

First round of voting is Nov 20-Dec 4, 2010

Second round of voting is Dec 11—Dec 26, 2010

The Avant Garde Website is**: twilightfb-awards DOT blogspot DOT com/**

I have always found that the award sites are a GREAT way to find a good story and I usually favorite them and keep going back until I've read them all.

Another thing that I do is go to communities where readers list stories that they think people would be interested in. Here are some that I know of:

YOU WOULD WANT TO DO A SEARCH BY COMMUNITY in FFn to find these.

COMMUNITY NAMES:

Hot with a Plot

SMUT - Best of the Best - Edward and Bella

Vampire and Canon AU fics

Collection of M Rated Lemon Flavored Twilight Fanfiction

EvieKinz to read

Shit To Read

Sleep Deprivation and Insomnia

Katmom's COMPLETED favorites

Tasteful Twilight Fanfictions

Kris's Fics To Read

Erin's Twilight stories that look good enough to read

MUST READ by ANGE

There are also some great websites for stories:

**www dot thewriterscoffeeshop dot com (This one owns me.)**

**Myvampfiction dot com**

I have had several nice people give referrals and such, but I had to wipe my hard drive and all of my favorites and such went bye-bye. In addition, I hadn't realized that lord knows how many emails that I sent out never really went out. If I've slighted anyone, I didn't mean to.

One last note: I hope to be posting a new story soon. If it's a go, the first chapter might make you think it's a little bit like BSTUB, but it is not. I hope you'll enjoy it.


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